


Desolation

by Marvelousgameofdisneythrones



Series: The Ice and Wind Saga [5]
Category: Frozen (2013)
Genre: F/M, Revenge, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-21
Updated: 2015-02-23
Packaged: 2018-03-13 23:29:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 17
Words: 42,685
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3400253
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Marvelousgameofdisneythrones/pseuds/Marvelousgameofdisneythrones
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There was once a prophecy, that a Storm King and an Ice Queen would rise. Through them, the peace would be restored. This is their story.</p><p>In Desolation, a threat long forgotten returns seeking revenge. Will the Royal family, and the entire kingdom, survive this new onslaught?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Pirate Visits a Happy Kingdom

**Author's Note:**

> This Part of TIaWS begins with a bang...literally.

Bulda stared into the distance, dismay on her face. She had hoped the prophecy was completely fulfilled with the death of Eliza. She was sure it was, and had told the Protectors so. Her dreams and the sky had told her otherwise last night. After only four years, the peace was going to be tried yet again.

An old threat was returning, more powerful than ever. This threat had been faced before, but it hadn't been completely defeated, and time had helped it grow stronger. And she had no time, and no way, to warn anyone. All she could do was watch and pray the Protectors of the Realm could persevere.

-

The wind was favorable. It had been their entire journey from the Mediterranean, despite it having taken extra time. Extra stops, a surprising battle, and keeping such a large number of ships together kept their pace slower than he would've liked, but overall they set a good speed.

Off the northern shores of Spain, High Captain Orek and his fleet had an interesting encounter. They had come across a lone ship, apparently a merchant ship, flying a simple green flag. As they had neared it, he had read the name of the ship: the _Medusa_. He'd sent two ships to board and capture it, believing that to be enough.

Then all hell broke loose. When the Captain of the ship (a Captain Karl, he later discovered) figured out he was going to be attacked, he turned the tables quickly. Orek's two ships had kept a bit of distance at first, allowing the Captain of the _Medusa_ a chance to surrender and save the crew. Instead, the man attacked first, and each of the pirate ships were peppered with over fifty cannon shots, coming from both sides of the ship. Then the _Medusa_ opened all her sails and rocketed away from his fleet, quickly outdistancing them.

That battle alone had set them back over a week. Orek himself had looked for information about the _Medusa_ while his ships were repaired, but other than the Captain's name he could find nothing; this Captain Karl was incredibly good at covering his trail, like he was trying to avoid being found. He made an oath to himself; once he dealt with Nikolaus and his brood, he would hunt down the _Medusa_ and try to convince Captain Karl to join him. He WANTED that ship, and that Captain, in his fleet, but he would put it on the bottom if he had to. It would be incredibly useful against that bastard, Haakon.

Orek and his men had plundered, pillaged, and burnt along the coast from Spain to the Far East and back, as well as spending some time in the Americas, building their reputation as the Buccaneers of Desolation, the hardest, most ruthless band of pirates in existence. He'd heard that his band, and more importantly he himself, was more feared than even the legendary Captain Blackbeard, or that mutinous Barbosa.

Over the years, he'd commandeered several ships and conscripted them to his fleet. He now had eighteen ships to his command. It was enough to challenge almost any group of ships he came across aside from a country's armada (and the _Medusa_ , apparently), but stealth and speed had kept them from any engagements on that scale. That was about to change, but if all went well, numbers wouldn't matter.

He looked out over the water to the rocky coastline in front of his fleet. Oh how he had missed that sight. He had always loved this coastline, all around the peninsula. The fjords held beauty and danger, and the small one he grew up on was probably the most beautiful. When this was all over, he intended to return there, if for no other reason than to see it once more. He doubted his old home would still be there; he and his father had been the last two people living in that fjord when they took up piracy decades ago.

His reason for returning to these waters was simple: he had an old debt to repay. He would not, no, COULD NOT rest now until he had destroyed all that Nikolaus held dear. And what fun this mission would be. Oh, he knew that the son, Aleksander, was now King, and he knew Nikolaus was married to the former Ice Queen. The men he had sent here over the years had kept him well informed on the royal family. He wasn't worried about any of that, however. Nikolaus would be over forty, almost fifty by now. Old men tended to get weaker as they aged, and women were worse. And they had both nearly died a few years ago, meaning they would be all the weaker. His men had claimed that sorceress had nearly beaten them when she usurped the throne for a time, so he knew it was possible to bring them down.

It was ironic that he was having these thoughts, as he was almost fifty himself. That was one good thing about his travels, however. In the Far East, he had met and traded with a Chinese magician for some VERY interesting items. It was unfortunate that Hans had killed the Chinaman years ago; he would've loved to acquire more talismans. 'I suppose it was good our friendship ended months before that. I would've had to kill Hans for that man's death,' he thought silently. 'I suppose Nikolaus did me a favor in that. I'll still take it out on his son, though.'

One of those talismans he did still have was the ring on his right hand. It had reverted him to the strength and agility of a twenty year old, and kept him looking that age as well. On his left hand...well, that ring would be strong enough to challenge any magic Nikolaus might be able to wield in his old age. And it wouldn't even require a direct confrontation. It was an odd power, to be sure, but oh how he had enjoyed using it over the years. How else could he keep so many men loyal, and force them to carry out missions exactly as he wanted? His shadow warriors and their marks did a wonderful job. They also made the assassination of opposing captains rather simple.

His thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the sailor that approached. "High Captain, we're about a day from our destination," the navigator informed him with a respectful bow. "We should arrive late tomorrow morning."

A smile spread over his face. His men were nothing if not respectful of him. "Very good, sailor. Are the ships and men prepared for their assignments?" He knew they were, but he had to keep his men busy. Idle men led to idle conversation, and on a pirate ship that could turn deadly, particularly for the captain of said ship.

"Indeed, sir," the young man replied. "Three ships, including the _Rose_ , ready to dock and offload troops, and the rest ready to provide sea support for the mission, sir." He stood at attention, ready to carry out any orders from his captain.

"Excellent. Their defenses should pose no threat against us. I will be in my quarters. Inform me the moment the watchtower is in sight," he commanded. The navigator nodded and turned, heading back to his station hurriedly.

Orek turned and entered his quarters, closing the door behind him. He was still smiling as he began to let his mind review where his plans now stood. 'A day. One day, and Nikolaus will begin to feel the pain I have felt for so long. Since the day he took my father's life,' he mused to himself as he laid in his bed. Oh, but this time, it wouldn't be Karland, or any northern city that burned. No, he was going to strike somewhere much more valuable. Somewhere that would strike fear into Nikolaus' soul. With luck, it would crush the Ice Queen's heart as well.

He would watch and laugh as his target was destroyed. Then, with their spirit broken, he would finish what he came here to do. After all, he had an oath to keep to his late father.

-

Alek smiled as he woke, feeling the warmth of the woman next to him in the early morning hours. He slowly opened his eyes and turned his head toward her, loving how her short blonde hair fell into her face as she slept. Frida was a wonderful woman, and he was very glad he found her.

Their meeting was a chance encounter. She'd travelled with her father, Prince Gerald of the Southern Isles, to renegotiate a trade agreement on textiles shortly after the...incident...with Eliza. Frida actually wasn't supposed to attend, but a last minute change had seen her arriving in Arendelle that week for Klara's wedding alongside her father. Alek wasn't immediately smitten with her, but after conversations at the wedding reception and several dinners, he found himself thoroughly enjoying her company.

Several months and many letters later, and she had come to Arendelle to stay. A year of courtship, and the two of them were married. Their marriage did much to solidify relations between Arendelle and the Southern Isles and erase what little remained of the bad blood from the infamous Hans. More importantly, his mother and father approved of her. He didn't need their approval as King, but he'd sought it anyway, given his last attempt at marriage.

Now she lay beside him, his wife and Queen. He looked up at the ceiling and smiled again, closing his eyes, thinking on where his life was right now. Just down the hall, their young daughter should be asleep. Ida was an amazing three year old. She looked so much like her grandmother, with nearly white, platinum blonde hair and those icy blue eyes, though she had been born without magic. Not that he cared; having a daughter was more than enough, and he couldn't imagine anything being better.

He felt Frida stir, then lean over him. He opened his eyes slowly, smiling up at her. "Good morning, sleepyhead," she said to him. "Ready for another day?" Her brown eyes twinkled in the morning light as she returned his smile.

"Not quite yet," he answered, rolling her over and moving on top of her, a mischievous grin on his face. Her giggle was all the permission he needed.

-

Nik watched from the doorway as Elsa sat in little Ida's room. He smiled as they played, the little three year old having woken early this morning. It warmed his heart to see his granddaughter smiling and laughing. *You've always been good with little ones, _minn elska_ ,* he thought to Elsa. A bit of sadness crept into him, and he knew she felt it. *I wish we'd been able to have more.*

They'd taken to communicating silently like this most of the time. It allowed them to talk even when they weren't together, and it had become habit over the last few years. It also allowed them to share their opinions on things before either one of them spoke, meaning they could give better advice to their son, as well.

She smiled mischievously and glanced over her shoulder. *Well it wasn't for a lack of trying,* she thought back, then looked back to Ida. *You're better with them than you realize. You should join us.* The giggle that escaped her lips was also present in her thoughts.

*Perhaps another time,* he answered, not missing the thought that giggle carried with it. *I promised Alek I would attend court with him this morning. Apparently an envoy from Weselton is arriving today, either to ask for trade agreements or to issue a challenge for war,* he informed her as he entered the room and knelt beside her. *No one's really sure which, though we're hoping it's the former.* The concern he felt over this matter was evident in his thoughts.

*Well then, don't let us keep you. We'll be perfectly safe up here,* she sent back, a slight edge of disappointment carrying with her thoughts. *Will we see you at lunch?*

*Absolutely,* he nodded, letting her feel his excitement at the prospect of an afternoon with his favorite girls. *I am yours from lunch on today, _minn elska_. I'll see you then.* With that, he leaned in and kissed her, then rose and headed to the throne room. He paused at the doorway and looked back, a pang of regret hitting him for not staying. Then he pulled himself away and continued down the hall, ready to face whatever this morning might throw at him.

-

Nik entered the throne room to find nearly everyone already there. He took a seat on the sidelines, then rose when Kai announced his son and daughter in law's entrance. Alek had made a good choice in her, in his opinion. She was strong-willed, yet, like them, believed firmly in family and honor above all else. She fit in with the family wonderfully.

Alek and Frida approached their seats, then turned and smiled at the audience. He unclipped Frostbite's scabbard and placed it between them, then they sat together. That sword had become an emblem of the Kings of the Northern Alliance, and when Nik had married Elsa, of Arendelle as well. He was glad to see Alek continuing that tradition. Klara stood nearby, taking her rank as Captain of the Guard seriously.

After everyone was seated, the young Duke of Weselton was announced. He was a much more imposing fellow than his predecessors, and carried himself with an air of dignity and humility. His face was sharp but worn, like a man who'd spent his life working hard. His coppery hair was short, and his grey eyes were fierce yet squinted, as if he'd been staring at a lamp for too long. One look into those eyes, and one could tell this man didn't demand respect; he earned it, and worked hard to keep it.

He approached the dais and bowed courteously. "Your Majesties," he began, "I am too well aware of the harsh feelings between Arendelle and Weselton. Let me begin by offering our sincere apologies for the actions of my predecessors against Arendelle, the Northern Alliance, and their allies over the past few decades."

"My good Duke," Alek returned, "the actions were not your own. So long as your intentions here are peaceful, no apologies are needed." Nik smiled; his son had learned well. Between nations, it could often do more to excuse current leaders from the crimes of their predecessors.

"Indeed, King Aleksander," the Duke replied with a nod. "Weselton desires to reopen trade with Arendelle and the Northern Alliance. The discontinuation of trade over two decades ago has...hindered...our own prosperity, and we would very much enjoy the boost our economy would receive from opening trade with your people," he explained slowly.

Nik could tell he was choosing his words carefully, as 'hindered' was an understatement. Reports were that Weselton was practically bankrupt, and the previous two Dukes had attempted to start more wars to boost their economy when they learned their people couldn't afford the taxes they levied on them. This Duke, however, hadn't come from a noble line, but was actually chosen last year when the people rebelled. Rumors claimed he'd been a tradesman before the rebellion. He definitely had his people's best interests in mind, regardless of his past.

"Arendelle and the Northern Alliance would welcome mutually beneficial trade agreements with Weselton," Alek replied after a moment's consideration. "I would ask that you submit any drafts you have for review to our treasurer. If you could stay as our guest for a few days, my Small Council will review the drafts and then discuss with you any changes we might desire."

The Duke bowed once more. "It would be my honor to stay, King Aleksander. I look forward to working with you on behalf of all our peoples." With that, he turned and took a seat on the sidelines.

The man's expression spoke volumes; Nik could tell the Duke was relieved at how well that discussion had gone. 'This man would be a pleasure to work with,' he thought. 'Why couldn't we have dealt with one like him decades ago?'

A loud boom from outside the castle caught Nik's attention. Several more sounded, and a high-pitched whine could be heard getting louder. It was a sound he hadn't heard in some time, and he couldn't place it immediately. When it came to him, he jumped to his feet, a feeling of dread growing in his stomach: cannon fire. *Elsa,* he sent quickly, *protect Ida.* She didn't reply, but he could feel her sudden fear, and knew the nursery had iced over.

The warning horn from the watchtower sounded not even a second before the first cannonballs slammed into the castle walls. Alek and Frida rose quickly, Alek strapping on Frostbite hurriedly as Klara moved beside him, her hand on her sword. "Guards! To the walls!" he commanded. "Everyone else, to the shelters!" Alek looked to his father, who was already running to the dais.

"Alek, Klara," Nik panted, "we MUST see to our family. Let the guards and soldiers handle this for now. Once our family is safe, we can go to the walls." He knew Alek and Klara would want to head to the walls, but the safety of their family was paramount; something told him there was no time to organize a defense strategy, no time to push back this attack.

Alek nodded reluctantly, and the four of them ran toward the family wing. The castle shook again as more cannonballs exploded and pockmarked the exterior walls. Nik took the lead, charging up the stairs to the second level three at a time. He had only one mission: to get his family out of Arendelle.


	2. Escape

Nik slid to a stop at the top of the stairs. Elsa held a screaming Ida, and Alandr was only a few steps behind her. Anna and Kristoff were running down the hall behind them. They all stopped when he appeared, startled at first, but quickly replaced by relief. "What's going on, Nik?" Elsa asked, fear for their family evident on her face as snowflakes fell and ice formed all around. "Is Arendelle under attack?"

Nik nodded once. "Yes. Beyond that, I have few details. We came to get you all—"

His sentence was interrupted when a cannonball took out the wall beside them. He pulled Elsa and Ida to him, shielding them with his body; a quick thought from Elsa brought up an ice wall to shield all of them from debris, though everyone flinched away anyway. When the air cleared, Nik walked around it and stared out the now demolished wall. The sight before him made his stomach drop.

Elsa handed Ida to Frida, then joined Nik. She stared out over Arendelle and the harbor, noting the large number of ships blocking any water escape. Three had made it inside the barrier wall and were offloading armed troops, while rest stayed back, bombarding the city with cannon fire. The watchtower had only been able to sound one blast; it was now a smoking ruin, as a few well-placed cannon shots had brought it down.

Every ship flew a black banner, a skull emblazoned in the center. Above the skull, two crossed swords; below, crossed bones.

*Who are they?* Elsa thought to Nik, fear lacing her thoughts. Ice spread on the floor around her as her mind raced. *And what do they want?* She entwined her fingers with his when he didn't reply right away, his thoughts nearly blank aside from emotional pain. She looked at him, stunned to see how ashen his face had turned.

"Not they," he said aloud for all to hear when he finally formed a cohesive thought. "Him. His name is Orek. And he's come for me."

Nik stood still, his only movement the slow rise and fall of his shoulders as he breathed. Before anyone could ask another question, Klara spoke up. "If we're going to get everyone to safety, we'd better move. NOW. Uncle Nik, where do we go?"

Her voice shook Nik from his trance, and he immediately began to move again. "Follow me. There's a way out that will keep everyone out of harm's way." He strode down the hallway, Elsa by his side, and turned into Alek and Frida's room. "The entrance is in here."

-

They slipped down the back staircase quietly. Nik was glad he'd studied the designs of Arendelle castle so well; long ago, after the war with Hans, he had learned of a secret passage that went from the King and Queen's chambers to the stables. From there, they would ride north, out of the city. They had to get Alek and his family clear, as their capture could endanger the entire kingdom. He would NOT risk that again; his son had spent too much time as a captive.

It was far too late to join the fray. He and Elsa couldn't freeze the fjord or use their storm winds to blow the ships out to sea, as the enemy troops were already ashore. There were too many of their own men to risk a wild blast of ice to freeze the raiders, or lightning to end them. That left escape as their best option, perilous though it may be.

As they moved through the dim tunnel, lit only by Klara's small fireball, he deeply wished his brothers were here. He knew where they would be; they were true warriors, and they would be on the walls, trying to protect everything inside the castle. A noble cause, to be sure, but they were his family. He didn't want to leave without them, but they might leave him no choice. If the castle fell, his brothers would fight to the death. It was something they'd both admitted to him years ago; they would die before they could be used as bargaining pieces. He had tried to get them to take it back, but they stubbornly refused.

His group entered the stables through the stall Asbjorn used when he wanted to be alone. He was there now, Olaf and Sven, the old reindeer, huddled behind him. Bulda had admitted recently that Sven's life had been tied to Kristoff's years ago by Granpabbie; so long as the man lived, the reindeer would thrive as well. At the entrance to the stables, Marshmallow stood guard at the main door, protecting his friends. Asbjorn whuffed when the group of them appeared, and looked at Nik and Elsa expectantly.

"Easy, boy," Nik spoke to the snow beast, patting his nose. "We're getting out of here. We need to get rides for everyone else." With that, he, Kristoff, Alandr, and Alek began saddling the last few horses. Some had already been saddled and abandoned when the fighting broke out.

Marshmallow let out a mighty roar as he began fighting off raiders that had made their way into the castle. They were no match for the giant snowman, but their numbers kept him from making much headway. He was doing well keeping them out, however, as his massive size blocked most of the opening.

A crash behind them made Nik turn. More raiders had broken in the back door, separating the four men from the women. Alek drew Frostbite in a fluid motion and began to charge, while Nik brought ice magic to one hand, lightning to the other. They engaged a few of the men, Nik freezing and blasting with his magic, Alek pinning and crushing with his, using Frostbite both as a focal point for his magic and as a weapon to deflect blows and deliver his own.

Beyond the men, Elsa held Coldsaber, ice blade fully formed, parrying blows and mirroring Nik's assault. Beside her, Asbjorn was snapping and clawing raiders, his giant form surprisingly nimble in the confined space. Klara was using small, controlled bursts of her fire; she really didn't want to melt a snow critter or light the stables on fire.

Rage began to swell in Nik. Rage at the men attacking his family. Rage at the cannon fire destroying Arendelle. Above all, rage at Orek, who after thirty-two years had decided to return and bring this attack on his family and the kingdom. He knew the man had no honor then, and it was apparent that he had none now.

Outside, the storm clouds had moved in, lightning flashing and snow falling in the swirling winds. In his rage, Nik decided he'd had enough of this little fray. Gathering his strength, he released a steady blast of ice followed by lightning, freezing, then shattering the raiders. He also filled the doorway with ice to block more from coming in.

In the sudden calm, he panted for a moment before turning to his son. "Alek, get your family, Klara, and Alandr out of the city. Make for Stonewell, and sound the alarm in every territory you pass through. Get your family to safety before you launch any assault," he instructed him, trusting his son would listen. "Take Anna and Kristoff with you." The sound of steel hitting thick ice echoed quietly through the stables as he said the last.

"While you and Elsa do what, sacrifice yourselves again?" Anna shouted at him. "I don't think so! We all go together!" She looked to Elsa, hoping to find support for her outburst.

"Anna, just once, listen to me," Elsa spoke softly to her sister, her control barely held. "You need to go. You're in danger here. For your own safety you HAVE to go!" Behind her, Alek had Frida and Ida mounted on a horse, and was climbing on his own. Klara and Alandr were likewise ready. "There's no room for discussion here!" she argued, pushing Anna away. She glanced back at the ice wall, watching the shadows dance across it as men kept chiseling away.

A shout made Nik turn toward the main entrance. Johan was running toward them, his armor mostly missing, his sword stained red. Behind him, Aksel was in slightly better shape. "The castle is falling," Johan explained as he neared. "There are hundreds of invaders, possibly over a thousand. We came to get you all out of here. We saw your outburst of magic, and figured we'd find you here." When he slid to a stop, Nik saw the cuts and bruises; he hoped his brothers had given worse than they received. They were very hard men to land a blow against.

Nik nodded to them, accepting their help. "Get mounts. Get them all to safety. We'll meet you in Stonewell," Nik explained calmly. His brothers nodded and rushed to get horses, not bothering with saddles.

Just then, the ice wall Nik had made cracked and groaned, then fell inwards under the impacts of the raiders. Alek and the others on horses spurred their mounts, charging out the main entrance of the stables, skirting past Marshmallow. Shrieks floated in the doorway, and the ground shook violently a few times; Alek and Klara must have used their powers to open a path.

Nik and Elsa turned their efforts on the new group of attackers. A pair managed to slip around, and were about to attack when Anna bashed one in the back of the head with a timber she'd found. Kristoff was a step behind her, driving his hunting knife into the other man's chest. He yanked it out, then grabbed Anna and pulled her toward Sven. "Come on, Fiestypants, we've GOT to - ungh."

His words were cut short by the blade suddenly sticking through his shoulder. The man he'd stabbed, mortally wounded, had found enough strength for one last attack. Both men fell, the blade sliding back out of Kristoff's shoulder when he hit the ground. Anna screamed. "KRISTOFF! NOOO!" She kicked at the man who had stabbed her husband, then knelt and held him, crying.

Anna's scream made both Nik and Elsa turn. They saw Anna kneeling over Kristoff's recently impaled body, crying and trying to stop the bleeding. Nik glanced at the other man laying near them, and noticed the lack of features on his face; it was almost as if his face were a shadow. *Get them out of here,* Nik told Elsa. *I've got this.* A nod from Elsa, and she ran to her sister and threw her onto Sven with Olaf. Johan and Aksel lifted Kristoff onto a horse, Aksel climbing on with him to keep him steady. Johan grabbed his own horse and led them all toward the main door. Elsa threw up a wall of ice behind them all as she led Sven toward Marshmallow; Nik had shown her what he intended to do, and Asbjorn would be safe from its effects.

Nik feinted a few more times, allowing the raiders to surround him. Asbjorn backed into a stall, somehow knowing what was about to happen. Suddenly, Nik drew into himself, allowing his rage to rise. The ice and lightning magic swirled around him in a tight embrace; in a sudden spin, he lashed out and released the magic, once again freezing or burning the life out of the attackers around him. Asbjorn also took a stray bolt, but being made of that magic himself was unaffected, though he yelped when it hit.

Nik paused and looked out the doorway. Across the courtyard, he locked eyes with a man he hadn't seen in thirty-two years. Orek smiled, then began marching toward him. The look on his face, his young, unaged face, issued the challenge; Nik almost obliged the man, but stopped himself. He shook his head, made a rude hand gesture to Orek, then mounted Asbjorn and ran toward Elsa, bounding over the wall of ice she had made. Elsa leapt onto Asbjorn with Nik's help, never releasing Sven's reins. Olaf clung to a sobbing Anna, doing his best to keep her on the reindeer's back. Nik's brothers fell in behind with Kristoff.

When they reached the stable opening, they found Marshmallow still batting away raiders. In his anger, his giant ice spikes had returned, and he paused to shake an attacker off the back of his arm. "Marshmallow!" Nik shouted. "Let's go! We're leaving! Clear us a path!" Marshmallow nodded in acknowledgement, then turned and walked ape-style, roaring and knocking raiders away from the group as they charged out the gate and through the city.

Once outside and clear of the castle, Marshmallow ran ahead of them, Asbjorn, Sven, and the others keeping pace. They rounded a corner, and found the streets that led to the main road out of the city blocked. Nik turned Asbjorn and charged toward the old logging road, the others following closely and Marshmallow now bringing up the rear.

Several crossbow bolts struck Marshmallow in the back as they ran, and he turned, his massive arm crashing through a building that was on fire. It collapsed and both blocked the road and buried some of the raiders, so he simply nodded with a short grunt and chased after his friends.

They made it through the rest of the city without incident. They didn't slow, however, until they were well above Arendelle. Sven had begun to labor from the running, and the horses weren't doing much better, so they paused at a clearing near a rocky bluff to rest. Elsa and Olaf sat with Anna, who was still sobbing uncontrollably. They took turns holding and consoling her, though it was having little effect. Johan and Aksel did their best to staunch Kristoff's wound; it was ugly, but if they kept it bandaged they were sure he'd survive. Nik and Asbjorn moved to the cliff edge that overlooked what was left of Arendelle and studied the carnage below them.

The castle still stood, and some of the buildings further from the shore as well. But the watchtower, barrier wall, and much of the central part of the city were destroyed. Fires raged in the demolished portion of the city, the flames of some reaching higher than the tallest buildings. Nik leaned heavily against Asbjorn, letting the giant snow beast support him, his arms crossed over his chest. He was lost in thought, and didn't hear Anna's sobbing stop, or feel Elsa approaching behind him.

Her sudden thought startled him. *We need to talk.* Her thought left no room for evasion, not that he would have right then anyway.


	3. When the Snows Fall and White Winds Blow

*What...what does Orek want with you, Nik?* Elsa asked pointedly. *What happened between the two of you? There's obviously some history here you've never mentioned.* She stood very still behind him, power rolling off of her as she waited for some kind of response. Her home had been taken, her brother in law had been seriously injured; she wanted answers, and she wanted them now. *You've been hiding something important from me.*

He sighed heavily and turned to her, his arms falling to his sides as his fingers flexed. *We should sit. It's a long story,* he finally replied to her. His mismatched eyes shone with the tears he held back, and she could feel the anguish rolling through his thoughts. *I should have told you long ago, but it never came up,* he explained. It did little to quench her own anger, but she nodded and turned back toward the rest of the group.

Nik moved over to the small fire Johan had built and sat, staring out over the fjord. Elsa sat next to him, waiting as patiently as she could, given the circumstances. She was angry, but also concerned; this was obviously a painful memory for him. He'd never spoken or thought of an Orek before, so this had to be something from before they met. Just as she was about to ask him again about what was going on, he began to speak.

"Remember when I told you about my father being killed in a pirate raid?" he asked slowly. When she nodded, he continued. "I left out a great many details, because they weren't important at the time. I didn't think it would ever matter in the future either. I see now that I was wrong, very wrong. So, I'd better start at the beginning.

"Thirty-two years ago, a band of pirates attacked Karland. It wasn't a normal plunder-and-run, but a full-scale attack. The garrison was unprepared, and many of the men fell or were captured quickly. A small force managed to fight back, and some citizens of the city escaped." As Nik kept up his narration, Johan and Aksel approached and joined them after seeing to the horses. Elsa, for her part, gave him her full attention. "My father and I happened to be in the next city, as we'd just finished a practice session with my magic and he was hurt. When we heard what was happening, we left Johan and Aksel, gathered the militia, and marched as fast as we could.

"When we arrived, the city was afire, and many ships were either sunk or burning. We divided our forces, and he led his group toward the worst of the fighting. As my battalion marched into the city, we encountered little resistance. I knew something wasn't right, so I relinquished command and ran to find Father. I found him dueling with the pirate captain, a man named Old Ironhands. But I couldn't reach him in time to help. I watched as Ironhands disarmed, then killed him."

Nik paused his story, lowering his head. Elsa watched the pain and grief cross his face as the memories washed over him, the images playing back in her own mind through their shared memories. She reached out and rested her hand on his arm, and he leaned into her as she held him. His brothers, sitting across from them, wiped tears from their eyes as they remembered the story.

When the tears slowed, he continued. "I went into a rage, and lost most of my control. I charged Ironhands, and finally released a bolt of lightning into him. It had already burnt his life away, but I ran him through anyway. I knelt by Father, hoping he was alive, even though I knew he wasn't. When I stood and turned, I saw Orek standing there, staring at me in his own rage. I understood his pain later; I'd just killed HIS father in cold blood. At the time though, I didn't care; to me, he was just another invader on my lands.

"We fought hard, and I used a gust of wind to throw him into a wall and broke his leg. He was resilient, though; he got back up and kept fighting instead of begging for his life. As it turned out, I gave him his escape. As we fought, a storm descended on the city; he slipped into a full drain and was washed down to the docks, where his own men rescued him. They left Karland, but not before leaving a message. He promised to return, and to repay me for the death of his father," Nik finished, his mismatched eyes still wet from pain. He lowered his head, and shakily ran his fingers through his hair.

Elsa watched his face for a few moments, then turned her gaze out to the smoke rising from Arendelle. She'd seen another memory, a paper of some kind, but it had flashed so fast she didn't comprehend it; it would have to wait for another time. "So, this Orek has returned, and this time with a greater force. A force intended to bring destruction on all that you hold dear," Elsa thought aloud. Nik nodded quietly, his eyes still lowered. She looked at him, her hand finding his cheek and lifting his gaze to her own. "We won't let that happen."

Nik frowned, another tear sliding slowly down his cheek. "He's already started. Arendelle has fallen. Kristoff is seriously hurt. He could have died back there, and if he gets infection he still could. He's my brother, even if it isn't by blood," he stated, more pain in his voice. "Elsa, we don't even know if our son is okay. I believe he and Klara made it away safely, but I fear for them," he let his worry show in his voice as well as his eyes. "If Orek captures them, their deaths will be painful and public. And Ida...what will he do to her? She's only three."

She shook her head. "Nik, it does no good to think like that right now. We're all in danger. If we can't hold ourselves together, then we're all lost." She met his gaze again, trying to show him her sincerity.

As she spoke, Asbjorn rose and turned toward the woods, snarling softly. Elsa rose and turned in the direction the snow beast was staring, and Marshmallow also began to grumble. Nik was the last to respond, the noises now getting louder. "Aksel, Johan," he whispered, "guard the others. Move back behind us!" Nik moved next to Elsa, calling magic to his hands and wishing he had another weapon while his brothers did as they were ordered.

Two dozen riders erupted into the clearing and reined in their horses. "Surrender! In the name of High Captain Orek!" the leader commanded, the men brandishing their swords and crossbows. "If you do as you're told, the High Captain may have mercy on you! If you resist," he continued, "then we will kill you and leave your bodies here to feed the wolves!"

Elsa drew Coldsaber, the ice crystallizing along it rapidly. "I think not. This Orek has declared war on Arendelle and the Northern Alliance with his actions, and we will reply in kind," she spoke, almost too calmly. Nik nodded solemnly beside her, her resolve strengthening his own. He heard her thought a moment later. *I hate killing. But I'll do it for those I love, without question.*

The leader of the group yelled to his men. "Take them! Alive if possible! Especially him!" He pointed his sword at Nik with the last statement, and his men charged as one. Weapons flashed, and the men let loose their battle cries.

Marshmallow let out a mighty roar and charged into the attackers. His first swipe of his massive arm took several men out at once. Asbjorn was beside him, targeting the horses the men rode first. The snow beast was normally very docile, but when his creators were threatened, he was a nearly unstoppable force, his icy jaws snapping and tearing relentlessly while his ice claws sliced deep. Horses screamed and died as he tore into them, their blood staining the ground.

Nik and Elsa stood side by side, lashing out with ice and lightning. Two men fell immediately to their barrage, and another fell to a slice of Elsa's ice blade immediately after. Four men still sat on their horses in front of them, and charged again. Nik and Elsa braced for the attack, magic flaring in their hands.

In a blur, Anna charged into the fray mounted on Sven, a burning log from the fire in her hands. Sven lashed out with his antlers, battering one horse's head and spooking the others. Anna swung her branch, connecting with one rider and lighting him on fire. His horse bucked and threw him to the ground. In the man's panic, he ran blindly, tripping and falling off the cliff with a scream.

Behind them, Nik saw his brothers frantically fighting off assailants, standing back to back around Kristoff. They were holding their own, but much longer and they would be overcome. He sent a few bolts of lightning at the attackers around them, dropping the group down to five. More noises behind him made him turn back to his own battle.

Anna and Sven struck again, connecting with another rider. The flames burnt at his shadowy face, but he stayed astride his horse. Nik studied him for a brief instant, and realized he looked like the man Kristoff had slain back in Arendelle. This man turned his horse around, raised his sword, and lashed out at Anna as she passed. The jagged blade caught her across the back and sent her flying from Sven; blood immediately began to pool around her as it flowed from her wound.

Elsa stood in shock for a moment, pain and disbelief swirling inside her. Nik felt her emotions rising, and her control vanished. "Anna," she whispered, so quietly he wasn't sure she actually said it. He quickly threw up an ice wall in front of Sven and Anna, and another around his brothers and the horses, to shield them from whatever Elsa was about to unleash; her mind was suddenly blank aside from rage and grief over her sister's injury, and he couldn't see what she planned. Snow and ice swirled around her, then collected tightly around her body. Instinctively, he dropped to the ground and watched as Elsa screamed and spun, a wild burst of magic splaying out all around her. It impacted everything around them, and whatever it struck, if it was not made of snow or ice, immediately froze solid. A wave of lightning followed, shattering their attackers, the ice walls Nik had made, and several trees. Asbjorn and Marshmallow groaned from the impact, but were luckily unharmed.

Nik rose slowly and looked around at the destruction in awe, then focused on Elsa. She stood panting, her arms slowly falling to her sides, Coldsaber still clutched in her hand. When she calmed and her eyes focused again, she saw Anna, blood pooled and cooling on the ground around her. "Anna! NO!" she screamed, then bolted to her sister and fell to her knees, cradling her head. "It's okay Anna. I've got you!" The tears flowed down her cheeks. Nik slowly made his way over to the two women, dropping to his knees beside them.

Anna raised her hand and touched her sister's cheek. She coughed, then managed to speak weakly. "Oh, Elsa," she managed, her voice barely a whisper. "I finally got to protect you, after all the years you protected me. I love you, Elsa." With that, she closed her eyes, and her head rolled back into Elsa's lap.

"No!" Elsa screamed, shaking her sister. "No! Anna! Please! Stay with us! Stay with me!" Nik wrapped his arm around her and held her as she screamed and cried, clinging to her younger sister. Neither of them heard Johan and Aksel hurriedly approaching from behind, nor did they see the ice coat the entire clearing as flakes of snow began to fall.


	4. The Lone Wolf Dies

Alek and his group didn't slow to a trot until they were well out of Arendelle. When they did, they still didn't plan to stop for a long time. He wanted to get his family as far away as possible before they made camp. With luck, they would be able to camp with the trolls for the night. His parents had done much to rebuild their trust in people, and the royal family had been told they would always be welcome.

The thought of his parents made him tear up a bit as he rode at the front of the group. 'Are they alright?' he asked himself. 'Did they make it out of Arendelle? And what about Kristoff and Anna? My other uncles? Are they alive?' He was lost in his thoughts about the others when Klara rode up beside him.

"I'm sure they made it out," she said to him, seeing the worry on his face and guessing its cause. "Your parents are an unstoppable force, Alek. If not for the citizens in the city, they would've finished all the invaders themselves." She smiled at him, trying to hide the worry she felt for her own parents.

Alek nodded slowly. "They certainly would have tried. They love this land, and all the people in it. They've never thought twice about risking everything to save us," he commented. "But I still worry for them. And the others. I hope they're all okay."

"I'm sure they'll meet us somewhere between here and Stonewell, cousin," she replied. "I can't see how they wouldn't have made it out. Asbjorn and Marshmallow would have seen to that. They'll be okay." She looked over at him and smiled again, trying to stay positive for them both.

Alek nodded, then let his thoughts roam. It was true, his parents were powerful. And they had powerful helpers. He had once created a pair of golems himself. He wondered if maybe he should raise another one, to escort them on this journey.

Just then, Frida screamed. Alek and Klara turned to see a dozen riders emerging from the woods all around her, Ida, and Alandr, who had dropped back with her when the first riders appeared. Alek drew Frostbite and charged, Klara right beside him, her magic flashing brightly.

They crashed through the riders, knocking several from their horses and spooking most of the others. The two of them walked their horses around the rest of their group, watching each of the new riders in turn. "Who dares threaten the King's family?" Alek shouted, trying to figure out which man was the leader of this band of what he assumed were raiders.

A voice behind them made Alek turn. "Stand down, men," the Duke of Weselton commanded. "We have no qualm with the King or his family." After the riders had lowered and sheathed their weapons, he rode up to Alek. "My apologies, Your Majesty. We didn't know if you were friend or foe. In desperate times, it's sometimes better to assume the worst, and hope for the best. I learned that lesson the hard way," he offered, gesturing to a scar along his neck.

Alek looked at the man, sizing him up. This Duke was smart, far smarter than his predecessors. He could be a danger, yet he had shown no aggression since he arrived in Arendelle. "My parents once told me something very similar, Duke. It's advice that has served me well," he replied, Frostbite still in his hand. He could feel the heat behind him; Klara still hadn't reined her magic.

The Duke held up his hands defensively. "Please, Your Majesty. I'm a Duke in my own lands, or at court. I have a name, and I prefer to be called by it," he informed Alek, a smile on his face. "I'm Henry, Henry Smithers."

Alek thought for a moment. None of this Duke's predecessors had ever wanted to be called by name, and they had all turned out to be vile men. This one, however, was freely offering information. Perhaps he could be trusted. "Henry. You know, none of your predecessors—"

Henry interrupted him quickly. "My predecessors were power hungry noblemen who wanted nothing but to pin others under their boots," he said, the anger clear in his voice. "I'm NOT like them. I was the son and apprentice of a poor blacksmith. I despised the dukes before me, and only took the title because my people asked it of me."

"Forgive me," Alek apologized, his hands raised defensively. "I meant no disrespect. I was only going to say that none of them had ever given or asked to be called by their name. It's a refreshing change to meet someone who is willing to be honest."

Henry was about to speak, when hoofbeats began to sound behind them, approaching fast. He glanced toward the sound, then back to Alek, who shook his head. "So far as I know, they aren't with me," he answered the silent question, raising Frostbite and turning toward the noise.

Henry drew his sword. "In that case, I swear myself and these men to your service so long as we're in your kingdom," he offered. Without waiting for acceptance, he issued an order to his men. "Men, you are now in service to Arendelle and the Northern Alliance. Defend the King and his family at all costs!" With that, the men moved to form a defensive line between the royal family and the oncoming riders.

When the new riders appeared, they reined in their horses. There were nearly two dozen of them, and they spread out four wide. Their leader pointed at Alek. "There he is! Take him and his family alive! Kill the others!" With that, they charged, weapons drawn.

Klara lashed out first. She stood on her horse, and fireballs erupted from her outstretched hands. They engulfed the first row of riders and sent them screaming into the woods, followed by trails of smoke. The other riders paused as their horses bucked and kicked, not totally comprehending what just transpired.

Henry looked over at Klara, shocked. Never before had he seen such a display of offensive strength. He glanced next at Alek, about to ask another question, when he saw Alek close his free hand and raise it slowly. When the earth began to groan and shake, Henry turned toward where Alek's arm pointed. What he saw left him speechless.

From the ground, a huge stone golem rose up, roaring as it took its final form. It stomped forward, swinging its huge forearms at their attackers. It crushed another row of riders with its first blow, and roared again. The remaining riders, now having watched their leader and several of their companions fall quickly to magic, turned and fled back toward the city. The stone golem grunted and nodded, then turned and stomped its way back toward the group.

Henry sheathed his sword and nodded to Alek, an indication that his men should do the same. "King Aleksander, there's much more to you than meets the eye," he stated. "I'd heard this land was enchanted. I was unaware that its very King was."

Alek turned to the other man. "Escort us to Stonewell, and you'll learn much more, Henry. You've seen my cousin Klara use her magic. You'll be in for a surprise when you meet my parents." He smiled for what seemed like the first time in forever; he hoped to see his parents again soon.

Henry smiled in return as they turned north again and began to ride, the giant golem stomping along behind them. "Ah, the former Storm King and Ice Queen. I've heard much about them. I hope they managed to escape the destruction of the city."

As they urged their horses down the road, Alek nodded in agreement. "Given who my parents are, and the fact that these men have chased after us, it's highly probable." He was silent for a few moments, then looked over at the Duke. "So tell me, Henry, did you happen to see most of what happened back in Arendelle?"

"Indeed I did, Your Majesty," Henry replied. "I had to see to the safety of my men, or as many as I could, but I saw what was unleashed. I also saw the flags those ships flew. The Buccaneers of Desolation, they call themselves. They've attacked Weselton before, when I was very young, and our vessels have encountered them at sea. The man in charge calls himself High Captain Orek, and rumor has it, he'll stop at nothing to see vengeance against your father."

-

The group arrived in the Valley of the Living Rock at sunset. Alek stopped shortly before entering the ruins, and turned to the group. "What you are about to see must never be revealed outside this group, unless you meet someone who has also seen it. The people we are about to encounter are...not like other people. They will not harm us so long as you do not harm or insult them, but they are under this kingdom's protection." With that, he dismounted, strode up to a rock, and knelt, whispering something to it.

Henry stared at Alek, confused. He moved his horse next to Klara and asked, "What's he doing? Talking to a rock? Please tell me his mind isn't leaving him." He watched her for some indication of what Alek was doing with that rock.

Klara chuckled and shook her head. "No, my good Duke. Alek is not going insane. These are my father's family. He was raised by them, and we have done our best to maintain ties with them," she answered, then looked at him. "They're much more than just rocks."

Henry frowned, then turned his attention back to Alek, who was still kneeling. Suddenly, the rock stood up right before his eyes. When it turned and embraced the King, he saw that it was indeed more than a rock. "It's a rock troll!" he exclaimed, louder than he meant to.

After he shouted, the other rocks began moving and rolling around, forming a large semicircle around Alek and the first troll. The two of them turned and walked toward the group, the watchful eyes of the trolls never leaving them. "Henry, Frida, this is Bulda. She is one of the rock trolls that live in this beautiful valley."

Henry immediately dismounted and knelt, bowing his head respectfully. "I've heard rumors of your kind, madam Bulda," he began. "I'd never dreamt that I would ever be so lucky as to meet any. I am deeply honored."

Bulda smiled at the Duke. "You are indeed a good man, as Alek has indicated. You and your group will be welcome here for the night. But please, don't linger in the morning, and there can be no fires. We don't want to call attention to ourselves," she explained. "This new menace the King has told me of will likely attempt to destroy everything in his way to get to you all. Alek, please bring your wife and daughter. I would like to meet them privately." With that, she turned and rolled to the far side of the ruins, stopping in a secluded alcove.

Alek took Ida, then helped Frida off her horse. They walked slowly to where Bulda patiently waited. "What does she want, Alek?" Frida asked nervously. "Does it have to do with Ida?" Despite all the magic she lived with in Arendelle, these trolls made her wary.

"Not exactly," he answered. "Remember, these are my uncle Kristoff's adoptive family. That makes them relatives. It's been a long time since I've been up here, long before I met you. They want to be brought up to date on the events of the kingdom."

When they reached Bulda, they knelt together. "So, this is little Ida," the troll surmised. "Such a beautiful little girl, much like her grandmother. Kristoff had said as much, but I wanted to see for myself. May I see your hands, dear?" Ida looked at her father, who nodded, then slowly stretched out her arms toward Bulda.

Bulda took her hands gently, turning them over and back. "It's as I suspected. Young Ida," she asked the little girl, "have you ever made snow or ice, or even a flame?" When the young girl shook her head, Bulda smiled softly. "This happens every now and again. Your family's magic will skip at least a generation." She glanced up at Alek, a warm twinkle in her eyes. "Her children stand a small chance of developing powers over something, though I suspect it's going to skip several generations again." Bulda then locked eyes with Frida, who stared back warily. Finally, the troll smiled warmly. "Congratulations, Your Majesties, on your upcoming bundle of joy. Don't worry, your next will not have powers either."

Frida's eyes suddenly widened, and Alek's mouth fell open as he quickly looked from Bulda to Frida and back. "What...what are you talking about, Bulda?" His voice was tinged with concern as he turned to his wife. "Is there something you need to tell me, my love?"

The Queen was silent for a few moments, still staring into Bulda's eyes. She finally spoke without looking at her husband. "I...I've been suspecting I'm pregnant for a few days, Alek. But I swear I haven't told a soul. How did you know...Bulda, is it? I haven't even checked with the doctors yet. It's too soon to be sure."

The troll's eyes twinkled as her smile somehow grew even larger. "We trolls consider ourselves love experts, dear. And we know when a pregnancy was born of love, long before a doctor can." To Ida, she leaned forward and winked. "You'll get to be a big sister before next spring, sweetie. Good luck to you all." With that, Bulda released the girl's hands and moved away, indicating an end to their discussions.

Alek and his family walked back over to their horses, where he grabbed some blankets from the saddlebags and spread them on the ground. They all sat, Ida between them. Frida leaned over and whispered, "What did she mean, still stand a chance? And how does magic like yours skip a generation?"

Alek hesitated before he answered. "Perhaps I should start with a small story about my mother. I don't know the entire story, as I wasn't even a thought in either of my parents' minds when it happened," he began. "But when my mother was coronated as Queen of Arendelle, she'd kept her powers a secret, mostly because she had no control over them. In a series of unfortunate events, my aunt accidentally forced her to reveal those powers in a very spectacular and ultimately dangerous way. She, quite literally, froze the entire kingdom of Arendelle in the middle of summer. Mind you, this was before other kingdoms joined Arendelle, but the winter spread to neighboring kingdoms as well.

"My uncle Aksel was there, and tried hard to keep the city from falling to chaos. He had realized, too late to help her, that my mother had magic, and had to help keep a great many people from trying to kill her." He paused, then looked at his wife, not sure how much she knew of one of her deceased uncles. "A Prince of the Southern Isles, Hans, tried to use the events to seize the throne for himself. He had many supporters, though most of them were unaware that he didn't really marry my aunt, and had no legitimate claim. My aunt, whose heart had been frozen, stopped him by sacrificing herself to save my mother. As it turns out, that act of love also thawed my aunt's heart, saving her as well."

Frida nodded slowly. "I have heard of that disgraced uncle of mine. I understand he used sorcery to make a second attempt. I am truly sorry for those events," she apologized, tears coming to her eyes.

He took her in his arms. "My love, you have no need to apologize. That was decades ago, and those scars have healed. But you see, my parents are not just random occurrences; our magic is hereditary, though for many generations it didn't appear. My grandparents on both sides, I understand, were all quite shocked to rediscover the magic." With that, he kissed her softly. "But let's discuss something more important. Why didn't you tell me you thought we might be having another?"

She looked up at him and brought her hand to his chest. "Because I wanted to be sure before I said anything. And when this attack came, I didn't think it would be an appropriate time. War is not a happy thing." Her head fell to his chest, and he held her closer. "I'm afraid of something happening to it."

Alek squeezed her a bit tighter as Ida curled up to them. "Frida, my love, you have nothing to fear. I will make sure to keep you, Ida, and our little one safe. I swear on my life." He chuckled softly, making her look up at him; he met her eyes and smiled. "Besides, my cousin in Corona, Lisbeth, was BORN in the middle of a battle for her parents' kingdom. So you have nothing to worry about. Now, let's all get some sleep; we have a long ride ahead."

The three of them curled up together on the blanket, Ida nestled between her parents. Alek and Frida listened as the little girl whispered a prayer, that her Nana and Granpapa would be okay, and that she would see them soon. She fell asleep shortly after. Husband and wife looked into one another's eyes, seeing each other's silent tears of both joy and worry.

-

When morning came, the entire group woke together. They ate what the trolls could offer them, then saddled and mounted their horses. Alek turned to Bulda. "Thank you again, Bulda. We are once again in your debt. I hope to find you all well when we're able to return." With that, he turned his horse and spurred it along the trail, the rest of the group falling in behind him.

Bulda watched them leave before she spoke to the emptiness. "I do too, child. I do too. And I hope your family is well and whole as well." She feared for Klara. Her dreams and the sky had shown her the events transpiring around the girl's parents, and she was worried, because she hadn't been shown everything. If Nik and Elsa didn't get help soon, they would all perish.

'But hope remains; someday, Ida will be a great and powerful Queen, just like her grandmother,' she thought to herself. 'If you all succeed, she will rule over a wonderful and peaceful kingdom.' The sky had shown her a glimpse of the child's future, and it was bright, so long as the darkness didn't win this time.


	5. But the Pack Survives

The group set up camp where the ground finally flattened out, in the foothills of the mountains. Nik sat by the fire with Elsa, while Johan and Aksel settled Anna and Kristoff for the night, then made ready to take watch. Marshmallow was sitting just outside the light from the fire, resting. Asbjorn stood guard over the horses, while Sven and Olaf napped. Elsa leaned against Nik, his arms wrapped loosely around her.

Aksel had run into a group of ice harvesters while scouting ahead, and convinced them to share their supplies. They'd had medicines and salves; these were used to rebind Anna and Kristoff's wounds. Luckily they hadn't caught infection, and were now healing well, though they were both still weak and usually unconscious. Since Anna's injury, the two of them had said less than one sentence. The harvesters had also provided them a map to get them through the mountains quickly; the group was now only about a day from Stonewell if they could ride hard. Given the group's condition, it would more likely be two days.

Elsa's grief had turned to worry when Johan had announced Anna would survive the attack as long as they kept on her wound. Nik had tried to keep her talking, to keep her mind occupied with other things, and had managed to finally lift her spirits enough to make her trail of ice disappear. It'd been too late to keep them from being followed, though. Two more battles had ensued as they made their way through the mountains before they found those harvesters.

They were all fortunate to be alive, though there was something odd about all their attackers. They didn't act human; their eyes were red, with small black centers, and nothing seemed to break their concentration. They also never retreated, and the group had been forced to slay them all. A few of them Johan had recognized; they'd once been members of the King's Guard, loyal to Arendelle and the Northern Alliance. This disturbed Nik deeply, and he couldn't keep it out of his mind for long. *What could Orek possibly have over these men that they would attack their King's family so relentlessly?* he thought absently.

*I don't think they knew what they were doing,* Elsa thought to him, hearing his musings. Now that everyone was healing, her spirits had been considerably higher, and she was much more optimistic. *Those had been loyal men, sworn to give their lives to protect the King and his family. They wouldn't have turned against us of their own will.* She pressed herself into him and glanced up at his face, where his concern was evident.

Nik nodded as he looked down into eyes that mirrored his own. He hadn't been expecting her to react, but was glad she did. *I know. That's what bothers me the most,* he answered. *It makes no sense to me. Those men should be with Alek or dead, not here trying to capture or kill us.* He held her closer; the worry and fear he felt spilled through his thoughts.

Elsa turned in his arms and kissed him. *We'll be alright, Nik. We'll make it to Stonewell, and Alek will be waiting for us,* she reassured him, her hand finding his cheek and forcing him to look at her. *From there, we can plan our counterattack.*

Nik smiled at her, studying her face. *I remember a time when you didn't consider fighting an option until all others were exhausted,* he sent to her as memories of their first years together floated through his mind. *Now here you are, talking of battles and war without even considering negotiations, not that Orek would negotiate. How times have changed.*

That got a small laugh from her. *It's your fault, you know,* she answered, her hand shifting to his shoulder. When he looked at her quizzically, she continued. *I would have always sacrificed everything for Anna, but you brought your 'defend family and country with your life' mindset down with you, and after living with it for so long I guess I've adopted it as well. And after Hartlande, I guess I've gained new insight into just how deeply I feel that way. There's nothing I won't do for my family.*

He chuckled quietly for a moment, then paused as another thought came to his mind, one he'd been dwelling on often in the last few months. He hadn't brought it up, but given their current situation and her last statement, he deemed now as good a time as any. *Elsa, have you noticed anything...unusual...about us recently?* he asked her carefully.

She gave him a confused look and let her hand fall away. *What do you mean, Nik?* she returned. *Noticed anything unusual? How do you mean?* Fear began to creep into her thoughts and mixed with the confusion his question originally brought out.

He frowned and looked away for a moment, then met her gaze again. *We know we went through a lot of changes to return from Hartlande. But I don't think we've noticed them all,* he began. *Before Hartlande, I would have days where I knew I was getting older; I could feel it in my bones, and some days even my powers weren't as strong. Since our return...well, I've never felt better.* Now he smiled warmly at her. *And your face...well, you look younger, fresher, like the day I met you. Don't get me wrong, I've always thought you beautiful, _minn elska_ , but it's like the years and strain have been lifted from your face.*

Elsa looked at the fire as his words sunk in. A few moments passed before she replied. *I've been noticing that as well, Nik. I haven't wanted to say anything, but you look like the young King I met at my sister's wedding. And I've noticed my own features looking younger, as well.* She looked back into his eyes. *Do you think it has to do with all of that?*

*I don't know, Elsa,* he answered. *But I believe so. And it will come in useful. I'll have to face Orek, and soon. I saw him in Arendelle when we were escaping, and he hasn't aged. I don't know by what sorcery he's stayed young, but he looks no older than Alek.* He shuddered as he thought the last, and she reached up and cupped his cheek.

*Nik, you are such a good, strong man,* she told him firmly. *Even on your deathbed you'd be stronger than he is. But you won't face him alone. I'll be beside you. I swore when we were married that I would stand beside you so long as we both live. I will honor that promise, no matter what.* She looked deep into his eyes, watching the gold flecks in his right one swirling like a thunderstorm.

He stared at her for a long moment, watching the gold in her left eye swirl in response to his. Then he smiled. *And I will always stand beside you, Elsa. I will never break that promise.* He pulled her closer, leaning down to kiss her.

"Nik, Elsa," Aksel interrupted quietly as he approached. The two of them pulled apart reluctantly and gave him their full attention. "We've seen signs of others, possibly hostile, and definitely fresh. We may want to consider moving on. It isn't safe." He shifted nervously, looking around. Johan was nearby, fingering his sword hilt and watching the forest. Even Asbjorn paced, eyeing the surrounding woods warily.

Nik listened to the sounds of the wilderness, then rose slowly and kicked apart the fire. He helped Elsa to her feet, then nodded to his brother. "Let's get moving then. I've always trusted both of your instincts, often more so than my own. I won't start ignoring them now."

They quickly got the unconscious Anna and Kristoff mounted and strapped in place, then helped Olaf onto Sven. When everyone was mounted and Marshmallow was awake, they headed into the darkness and towards Stonewell.

-

A lone man, dressed in the armor of the King's Guard, stepped from behind the trees, his eyes glowing red. He watched the former King, Queen, and their group ride away, knowing his mission; follow them, and do not lose them. And do not be seen.

He set out on foot, running a safe distance behind them, tirelessly moving down the road. He knew losing them would mean his death, even if he couldn't remember his own name.

-

Back in Arendelle, Orek sat on the throne. It was a comfortable chair, though the design was not to his liking. 'If I decide to stay here, this must be changed. It simply won't do,' he thought to himself.

He closed his eyes, and let his mind wander over the connections he shared with those under his power. Once he claimed a person's mind, they were his until the connection was broken. He could return to their mind as often as he wanted before that happened, but once broken the connection could not be reforged.

He travelled to the King's Guard, a man one of his shadow warriors had marked with his blade. He saw Nikolaus ride away through the man's red eyes, and smiled to himself. "You can run, Nikolaus. But you'll never escape me, or my wrath," he said aloud. "I have people closer to you than you realize."

-

Alek stood in the Small Council chamber studying a large map of the peninsula with his cousins. Adam and Adrian had been keeping tallies of the number of men available in each territory, and those numbers were marked on this map now. They stood on either side of him, working with him to design a counter strike against Orek.

"Do we have enough men and ships to launch both an attack through the mountains and by sea?" Alek asked Adrian, the General Commander of the Armies and Navy since Aksel's retirement.

"Possibly, sire," he answered, a frown on his face. "My father was able to do so in Corona. But they're spread throughout the territories right now, and to gather that many men will take time. Time I don't think we have, if what you tell us about this Orek's forces are true. He'll have several thousand men, and enough ships to prevent ours from landing without suffering huge losses, especially if he arranges them to repel incoming ships. Even our blockade runners would suffer greatly in a battle like this. Our best bet will be through the mountains, but even that's risky. Arendelle was situated where it is because it's a very defensible position."

Adam nodded in agreement. "Arendelle has few weaknesses. Catching the city off guard is one of the few of them. That's how it fell in the first place. Three ships entering the harbor under false colors posed no threat, so the watchtower ignored them. The other fifteen sailing in shortly thereafter and starting a bombardment...well, by then it was too late."

Alek frowned. "Is there nothing we can do? Is Arendelle lost to us then?" He would not believe that, could not believe that. He would not leave his mother's ancestral home in enemy hands. He would find a way to reclaim Arendelle. He had no other choice.

"There is one way," Adam replied. "But Orek will have heard of the Ice Queen's ability to freeze an entire territory. He'll be expecting it, and have a plan to deal with it, if he's done enough research." He frowned, knowing their best offensive weapon might be powerless against this foe.

Adrian moved his hand over the map. "For the moment, it may be best to simply fortify our forces that border his, until we can muster some allies to launch a sea assault as well."

The Duke of Weselton, Henry, had been standing to the side. Now he entered the conversation. "Weselton will answer, if you send word, King Aleksander," he told them. "It'll take a few days, but with the promise of renewed trade and an alliance, they'll answer. The nobles of old have lost sway, and the people desperately want friends and allies."

The door opened as he spoke, and four people entered the room. Alek looked up, and tears came to his eyes immediately. "Mother! Father!" he shouted as he ran around the table and embraced them both, the discussion at hand temporarily forgotten. They returned the hug, shedding tears of their own. Adam and Adrian went to their own fathers, shaking their hands, then likewise embracing them.

When they broke apart, Elsa smiled and touched Alek's cheek. "We were so afraid for you, Alek. We didn't know if you made it away safely," she told him, her eyes still wet. When Alek looked at his father, he saw tears in those mismatched eyes as well.

"We might not have, had it not been for Henry and his men. He found us on the main road, and swore himself and his men to my service so long as they're in the kingdom," he told his parents, indicating the Duke. "I was afraid for you as well. I feared you didn't escape."

"We very nearly didn't, son," Elsa told him. "Your aunt and uncle also nearly perished. But we made it. Our family is together again, and that's what matters." She smiled as she squeezed his arm. "Oh, and we see Marshmallow has a new friend. They're already getting along well. Does it have a name?"

Alek smiled and nodded. "One of the men called him Rocky as we passed through the mountains, and the name stuck. He seems to like it."

"Rocky," Elsa repeated with a smirk. "Fitting, if not very imaginative." Then she and Nik turned to the Duke.

Nik spoke for the both of them. "My good Duke, we are in your debt. Thank you for protecting our son," he told the man. He extended his hand in gratitude.

Henry paused, realizing how much Nik and Elsa mirrored one another. 'A question for another time, I think,' he told himself. He took Nik's hand and shook it, saying, "It's what a respectable, honorable man should do, my Lord Nikolaus. Weselton wishes no harm to come to Arendelle, the Northern Alliance, or the people's King."

"I thank you for that, from the bottom of my heart," Elsa answered with a heartfelt smile. "Is there anything we can do to repay this debt we owe you, Duke?"

Henry smiled. "Please, while I'm here, call me Henry. Henry Smithers," he told them. "I am only a Duke because my people asked it of me. As for repayment," he looked to Alek, "when this is over, we can discuss those trade agreements." Looking back to Nik and Elsa, he continued, "But for the two of you, you owe me nothing. It's more than enough to have met you. As a child, I read about you both, and tried to live my life by your examples. When our revolution began, I had my chance to apply those examples for the betterment of my own people. It is I who owe you."

Nik smiled. "You honor us with your words, Henry. We're glad of the changes you're working toward with Weselton. I believe our kingdom will enjoy many years of trade with your people."

Alek interrupted. "If we could return to the matter at hand," he said, looking to his parents. "Is there any way to retake Arendelle without massive losses?" The look on his face showed that he desperately hoped there was.

Nik and Elsa looked at one another for a long moment, and Elsa shook her head. It was Nik who finally spoke though. "No. Not without extreme luck or help. Besides that, Orek wants to destroy everything I hold dear. Meaning he wants the entire family wiped out, and to raze as many cities as he needs to and can. And he'll stop at nothing to achieve those goals." He paused and looked at the others in the room. "I had hoped this day would never come, and after so many years, I didn't expect it to."

"It won't come to that, Nik," Aksel spoke up. "We've faced many other foes, and beaten them all together. We can beat a pirate captain, if we stick together as a family." Johan began to nod in agreement, then stopped when he saw the ashamed expression on Nik's face; he suddenly could tell his older brother was hiding something, and had been for years.

"Besides, how do you know all this, Uncle Nik?" Adrian asked. "He hasn't sent any word or demands to Stonewell yet. We don't even know his plans. He may just sit in Arendelle and try to use it as a new home." He looked at his uncle, and frowned when he saw the pain written on his face.

Elsa saw an image come up in her mind, the very one she had glimpsed before but couldn't read: a letter, written long ago, and signed by a Captain Orek. As she read through it, she gasped aloud; it was very explicit, in both the plan and the details. She rested her hand on Nik's back, trying to reassure him despite the bile she felt welling inside her. How he had kept this buried inside himself, hidden even from her, for so many years, she didn't know. Nor did she understand why.

Nik lowered his head and began to speak. "I know because," he said slowly, raising his head so everyone could see the tears that matched the gravity in his voice, "he sent word years ago. He left a letter, after the attack on Karland. I kept it from everyone, in my young stupidity and naivety. The only other person who knew of it was Karbane, because he found it. It's the only thing I have never shared with anyone, including my brothers and Elsa.

"In that letter," Nik paused, his breath coming a bit ragged, "he told me EXACTLY what he would do when he returned. He promised to either capture us all, or send me unmistakable signs every time someone I loved died. If he captured us all, he would force me to watch him execute each of you in turn. If not, he planned to send me each of your heads as he found and murdered you." He shook his head and lowered his eyes, and a few tears splattered on the table. His voice was barely a whisper as he choked out the last few words. "Either way, he wants our bloodline, all of it, wiped out. Not just my brothers and I, but any related by marriage, too. Which means Anna, Kristoff, Klara, Frida. Even little Ida; he won't even spare a child."


	6. Old Secrets Revealed

"Nik...why?" Johan asked, quiet but obviously upset. He couldn't believe Nik would keep a secret like this from them; he always told them the truth, even if it wasn't right away. "Why didn't you tell us?"

Aksel, however, was livid. "You promised to never keep a secret from us!" he shouted at Nik as he began to move around the table. "What else have you kept from us? I mean, you even told us about the night you met Elsa, eventually! And your plan to stop Rebeckha was evident once you started, so that doesn't count! How could you keep something like THIS, a threat to our very lives, from us for all these years?" By now, Aksel was fuming, his face red with anger as he neared his eldest brother. His stance and movement suggested the situation might come to blows between the two men. "We should have been out hunting him down—"

"YOU WERE TEN YEARS OLD, AKSEL!" Nik roared, interrupting his brother; Aksel stopped moving and winced as he shouted, as that buzzing feeling returned. "You didn't need to see such a thing! I couldn't expose you to the cruelty in that letter, and let you live your whole life waiting for the day to come! I'm your older brother, I had to protect you and Johan! I should never have seen a letter like that at fourteen, but then I never should have had to kill at that age either! I shouldn't have had to watch father die before my eyes! Instead, I watched Ironhands slay him, then led our forces against the remaining invaders!"

Everyone was silent for a few moments while Nik's words sunk in, and they each took a step back. Elsa was the only one who didn't move away, even with the power radiating off him and the ice crawling its way up the walls. Thunder rolled outside, and rain began to blow in the windows. She grabbed his arm and forced him to face her, having recovered from her initial reaction to the letter. "Nik, I understand not telling your brothers at such an age, but why not when they were older? Why not me?" she pleaded; she hoped she could rein in his temper before he accidentally hurt anyone.

Nik looked into her eyes, tears running down his cheeks. "You didn't need that burden, Elsa. You have already seen so much pain and loss, I couldn't let you spend the rest of your life waiting for this, too." He turned and leaned on the table heavily. "And now it's worse. I have so much more that I love, so much more that I must protect. And I'm not strong enough. When he comes, if he takes all of you from me, I'll break. There will be nothing left of me." He hung his head, the emotional pain rolling through him.

Elsa pulled him upright, took him in her arms, and held him; Alek came around the table to join her. Johan and Aksel exchanged a glance, then they, too, joined the group hug, along with Adam and Adrian. That quickly, Nik's secret was accepted and forgiven. Each one of them understood why he'd kept it; they didn't all like it, but they understood.

Henry, unsure what was going on, politely stayed away.

Elsa spoke quietly for the group as the family embraced him. "We won't let him take any of us. We're a family, Nik. We stand together, and nothing, no one, can change that." She squeezed him harder, and felt him treble as he sobbed, finally releasing some of the pain he'd held inside for three decades. Elsa felt it through their thoughts, and shed her own tears for him; Johan and Aksel also had tears in their eyes, though neither would admit to it later.

When they had all calmed and separated, Nik straightened himself. "I'm sorry for my outburst, everyone," he apologized. "It shouldn't have happened. But now that you all know his plans, we can try to prepare against them, as best we can." He sniffled a few times, but the pain was no longer threatening to overwhelm him. "And I'm sorry I kept this from you all. You deserved to know sooner." No one disagreed, but there were no reprimands, either.

Elsa turned to him before the discussions went any further. "My love, I'm going to check in on our granddaughter. Please come to me when you're finished." When he nodded, she kissed him, then left the room. He watched her until the door closed behind her, and considered going after her; he turned back to the table, knowing his knowledge and experience would be more useful in this room for the time being.

It was Aksel who spoke next. "For now, we must fortify our defenses. Once we've done that, we can plot our assault on Arendelle," he advised. "As for you, Nik. Have you decided on a new weapon to carry, since you passed down Frostbite?" When Nik shook his head, Aksel continued. "Then let's get you to the armory. Your magic is very powerful, but I know it's sometimes nice to feel a weapon in your hand." With that, he and Johan led Nik out of the room, leaving the planning to the younger generation.

-

The brothers walked through the castle armory, searching for a weapon for Nik. He hadn't envisioned needing one again, since he had given Frostbite to Alek; the Kingdom was at peace at the time, and looked to be for years to come, something he had long hoped to see. Now, that dream had shattered. They were preparing for a war no one had anticipated, and Nik still felt the blame belonged to him.

"Nik, you did what you thought best at the time," Johan had told him on their walk down. "You'd just watched father die. It was probably best for you not to tell us; I might not have had a family of my own had I known."

He'd begun to see his brother's point; by the time he met Elsa, even he didn't expect Orek to return. Things might have gone differently if he had. Looking back on his life, he realized that he wouldn't change a thing. *I am glad of that, husband,* he heard Elsa's thought, and felt the smile in it. He smiled to himself; it was good to know that she didn't hold this secret against him.

Standing in the middle of the armory, he looked around, unsure what he was looking for. Johan suggested another sword; he considered it, but it didn't seem right to hold another one. Aksel suggested a battle axe; easy to wield with both hands, yet able to be swung with one. Nik refused, as he had never really liked axes. Oh sure, in a pinch he could use one, but he avoided them if possible.

He thought he felt something, an odd tug on his mind, and looked across the room. In a pile of unused weapons, he saw a leather-wrapped handle. It looked off, like it should've been longer but had been broken. He strode to the pile, grabbed the handle, and heaved. The weapon lifted from the pile easier than it should have, and weapons tumbled away from it. In his hand, he held a war hammer; the handle had indeed been broken, but looking at the entire weapon now, it looked right. He spun it in his hand, holding it properly, looking it over.

By now, Johan and Aksel had approached, curious as to what he'd found when they heard the clatter of weapons. "I have never seen that before," Aksel commented, his eyes wide, "and I have helped inventory every armory and garrison in the Kingdom. Where did it come from?"

Nik shrugged. "It was in this pile," he stated, his eyes never leaving the weapon. It was closer in size to a long-handled mace, aside from the larger head. The head itself was engraved, but with what language he didn't know. The handle wasn't wood, but rather forged as part of the head. And it felt LIGHT, almost too light. He took a few practice swings with it one-handed. It had good balance as a one-handed weapon, even if it had been intended to be used with both. The handle was also still long enough to allow it to be carried across the back, his preferred place for a weapon. As he inspected it, he felt that odd tug settle into a warm, comfortable feeling.

He stepped forward and turned to his brothers, holding the weapon up. "What do you think?" he asked them. "Still think I need a sword?" A weapon hadn't felt this right in his hand since he held Frostbite, and he smiled.

Aksel laughed before he spoke. "Who do you think you are, the old god Thor? Though I must admit, the similarities are there, aside from the ice thing." Johan chuckled as well.

Nik lowered the hammer, looking at his brothers. "Would that I were Thor. I'd be immortal, and Orek wouldn't be a challenge. Unfortunately," he paused, "I believe I'm still mortal, and that he may yet best me. I just hope I can face him before he takes any of you."

Johan shook his head. "Nik, you still haven't heard us completely. We're a family, and this threat belongs to all of us. We'll face it together, and we'll conquer it together. That said, every good weapon deserves a name, and Mjolnir would make a fitting name for that, even if it isn't the real one. Now, let's get it a holder, and go back up to the castle. Our family awaits." With that, he turned to a stack of holders and scabbards and began to search.

Nik looked at the war hammer and smiled. 'Mjolnir. Yes, a fitting name, indeed. I think you have a new name, my friend,' he thought to himself. He almost thought it pulsed in his hand; he brushed it off as an involuntary response, a memory of how Frostbite felt in his hand.

When they finished in the armory, the three of them headed back up into the castle. Nik thought as he walked; his brothers were right. He might be the patriarch of the family, but he could depend on them. They had all proven that many times over. *Orek, you issued a challenge to me years ago,* he thought to himself, knowing Elsa would hear. *But it won't just be me you'll be facing. My family will stand with me, and I with them.*

*It's about time you listened,* came Elsa's thought. *Now come up to our rooms. I want to see you.*

-

As Nik walked through the halls, some of the staff paused their work to watch him. They all noticed something was changed in him; after all, most of them had either grown up around him or had watched him grow up. His steps seemed lighter, more sure, than they had in years, and his smile brightened the hallway. They all smiled when he passed, with some whispering that he hadn't seemed that happy since he'd married the Ice Queen and had a son.

When he entered he and Elsa's room, he expected to find her playing with Ida. Instead, he found just Elsa, waiting near the bed, her robe wrapped around herself. "Nice hammer," she told him, looking at the handle protruding over his shoulder. When he closed the door, she pulled him to her, unhooking the holder and letting both it and the hammer fall to the floor with a thump. She then pulled him to and onto the bed, where they spent the next few hours enjoying one another.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this chapter, once Nik's secret was discussed, was mostly familial fluff. I hope you all enjoyed it. There's more darkness to come, though, so protect your feels!
> 
> For those interested, Nik and Elsa have a little fun. To see the steamy details, look in my profile for Rushed Wedding, Unrushed Love, and look for chapter 9, Mending Old Wounds.


	7. Closer Than You Think, Indeed

They laid together in the bed, Elsa curled around him. Nik smiled; he was glad she'd called him up here, and was feeling more at ease already. He closed his eyes and rested. His mind, however, began to wander once again when his eyelids met. He desperately wanted to sleep, but it just wouldn't come.

Elsa stirred next to him. "Something's still bothering you," she said sleepily. It wasn't a question; his restlessness had woken her. He felt a pang of regret; he hated waking her, even if it was still only early evening this time, and he knew he did it far too often. It'd been a problem since Alek was born, with those dreams of the giant stone golem. Thankfully, those dreams in particular had resolved themselves when Alek's magic manifested, and had never returned.

He sighed softly. "Yes," he admitted, "but I don't know what. It feels as if there's a presence here, in Stonewell, that shouldn't be. It doesn't feel friendly, yet it's searching for something." He realized he'd been feeling it for some time, even before they reached Stonewell, but he couldn't put his finger on what it was.

He sat up slowly, looking out over the room. Elsa sat up as well, hooking one arm around him, and running the fingers of her free hand over the marks on his back. They had once just looked like lightning; now, blue-hued snowflakes also dotted his back. He shivered as he felt her fingers caress his marks, and smiled; he'd always enjoyed her touch. Her own marks had also changed when they returned from Hartlande, as what had once been graceful, blue-hued swirls were now almost golden, slightly jagged lines, similar to lightning, interspersed with and almost connecting the snowflakes that adorned her wrists and forearms.

She finally patted his back. "Well, I know you won't rest until you've looked around or practiced with your brothers. Go on," she told him. "I should actually check on Anna, or at least I want to before we turn in for the night. The doctors say she's healing well, but I'm worried about her. She's been sleeping even more than she used to, and sometimes her eyes seem distant when she's awake."

Nik turned to her and kissed her softly. "I understand love. Go check on your sister. I'll see if the air will clear my head. If you need me, tell me." When she nodded, he rolled out of bed and dressed. He kept his attire simple, gray slacks and a white shirt. She followed suit, foregoing the dress she'd been wearing. Instead she opted for pants and a fitted and faded blue tunic; she didn't plan to see anyone but family, so her appearance wasn't as important. They left the room together, walking arm in arm down the hall, pulling apart only when they went their separate ways.

-

Nik headed for a place he hadn't been in some time. It was a long climb; the old watchtower was rarely used unless the castle was expecting attack. That was not the case tonight, so it was empty. He lit torches as he went, so that anyone could see he was there. He didn't want anyone to be alarmed, as it was dark out; he was just after some air, and some quiet.

As he climbed, he thought on some news he had heard when he and Elsa had emerged from their bedchamber; an Arendelle guard had been found, dead, just outside the castle walls. He was wounded, but not bleeding or infected. He had apparently just dropped dead. No one who had travelled north had seen him on the road, and there was no sign of a horse, meaning he had come on foot. Given the distance and the time since Orek's attack, the man would have had to run the entire way without rest. It was one more worry to add to his list.

When Nik reached the top of the tower, he stepped outside. It was actually a rather large area, even being over 200 feet in the air. There was no shelter aside from the stairwell cover, and he was completely exposed to the breeze that was blowing. He didn't mind; he could control the wind if he wanted, so he just let it blow. He had always found the wind swirling around him comforting, and tonight was no exception.

He looked out over the lands, and smiled. The trees of the forests were taller, and there were new buildings here and there, but the view was otherwise exactly as he remembered: the mountains in the distance, the lights of Karland shining against the night sky. He'd always loved this view, standing by the low wall. It almost felt like he could fly if he wanted. Sometimes he wondered if he actually could, using the winds to carry him, but he'd never gathered the courage to try. Tonight was no different; he planned to keep his feet firmly on the ground.

He stayed up there for a long time, lost in thought as he watched the world around him.

-

Anna rolled over, her arm outstretched. When it landed on the empty mattress, she opened her eyes. He was gone. "Kristoff?" she asked quietly. When there was no answer, she sat up carefully, the stitches and skin of her back protesting against her movements; this was exactly why she had chosen such a soft nightgown. "Kristoff? Where are you?" she called again. This wasn't like him to leave her alone without at least a note. She had always been a heavy sleeper, so she wasn't surprised she didn't feel him get up.

She got out of bed slowly. The wound across her back was still tender, and could split open if she moved wrong. 'Why did I have to do that?' she asked herself. 'It was pretty reckless. Nik and Elsa had it under control. Kristoff's right, I do get in over my head.' She smiled at that thought; Kristoff's brutal honesty was one of many things she loved about him.

She had just made it around the bed when the door opened. Anna turned, hoping to see her husband; she sighed and smiled when it turned out to be her daughter and sister. "Hi, Klara, Elsa," she said brightly, giggling when she noticed they were both dressed similarly. "Is my daughter giving you fashion lessons now?" That got a laugh from the two visitors, and brightened her spirits some. She was glad to have some company, but she was still worried about her husband, and her smile quickly faded. "Have you seen Kristoff? I woke up and he wasn't here." She looked to the floor and frowned. "But his boots are. That's strange. He hates his feet, he wouldn't go out barefoot."

"No, I haven't, mother," Klara answered, and looked at her aunt. Elsa shook her head and frowned, indicating she hadn't seen him either. "Why, is something wrong?" She asked as she looked back to her mother.

Anna looked up, her frown deepening the creases on her face. "I'm not sure. I may have dreamed it, but I think I heard him say 'Make him pay' and 'The icy one' in his sleep this afternoon," she replied. "He seemed to be having a nightmare, because he woke me up, and we know how hard that is. What do you think that means?"

Elsa's heart almost stopped, and her mouth fell open as a thought came to her; she understood, to some degree, why those men kept attacking them in the mountains. "No. Oh, no. No no no." She crossed the room to her sister and grabbed her arms harder than she meant to. "Anna, you must remember. Did his eyes look strange the last time you saw them?" she asked hurriedly.

Anna scrunched her forehead, thinking. "Yes, actually. They looked red, instead of brown. I thought it had to do with how tired we were. Why?" she asked, a confused and concerned look on her face.

"Because," Elsa replied, "he's not himself. Orek has him under a spell!" With that, she let go of her sister and bolted, Klara and Anna following her closely; Anna grunted every few steps, the exertion straining her back, but she kept going. 

*Nik! Nik, where are you?* Elsa knew they had to find Kristoff, and quickly. Under Orek's influence, there was no telling what the Ice Master might be forced do.

*I'm up on the watchtower. Kristoff just joined me. We're fine,* came his reply. His thoughts were calmer; she hated that she was about to add another layer to his worries, but this could mean life or death.

*No, you aren't! Don't take your eyes off him! I'm coming!* With that, she began to run faster, ice forming where her feet hit the ground. The other two women dodged the ice to keep up with her, Anna doing her best to ignore her now aching back.

-

Nik turned to face Kristoff after Elsa's warning. "Good evening Kristoff," he said to the blonde haired man. "What brings you up here tonight? Shouldn't you be resting? How's your shoulder?" He looked the bigger man over, and noticed immediately that he had no shoes on, and kept his head down. More importantly, Kristoff wasn't responding to his questions.

"Make him pay," Kristoff finally said, in a quiet voice that didn't quite sound like his own. "Kill the icy one. Make him pay." With that, he raised his head and stared at Nik with his glowing red eyes, his face almost strained.

Nik took a step back, then dropped into a defensive stance. 'This might get ugly, and quick,' he thought to himself. "I won't fight you, Kristoff," he told the big man, circling around and doing his best to stay out of reach. "You're my brother. But I WILL defend myself. You need to fight whatever has ahold of you." To Elsa, he thought, *Hurry. Please. I have a rather large, rather angry Ice Master up here.*

-

Elsa ripped open the door to the staircase that lead to the top of the watchtower, ice coating the handle and part of the door when she released it. "Hurry!" she yelled to her sister and niece. "Kristoff's attacking Nik! We have to try to stop him!"

They all charged up the stairs as quickly as possible. She hoped they could make it in time, and stop Kristoff without hurting any of them. Or worse.

-

Kristoff lunged at Nik, and he rolled out of the bigger man's way, scrambling to his feet immediately. The miss seemed to only make the Ice Master madder, as the seemingly possessed man turned and stalked toward him, snarling. Nik backed away, looking around for something, anything to use as a weapon or shield. He couldn't go blow-for-blow with Kristoff; the man was far too strong, even at almost fifty. He had to outsmart his opponent, at least until help arrived. He wasn't sure what was going on, but when this was over he was going to find out. Somehow, he suspected Orek; Kristoff's eyes were the same color as some of those men they had fought in the mountains. If so, this was another strike against the pirate.

Kristoff swung again, and Nik dodged. He misjudged the room he had, however, and ran into the side of the stairwell cover, momentarily disorienting himself. In that second, Kristoff grabbed him, spun him around, and clamped a hand around his neck; the big man easily lifted him off the ground. Nik thrashed, hitting Kristoff's arm and kicking him, but he showed no signs of even feeling it.

Kristoff smiled a bloodthirsty smile. "Master Orek says to kill the icy one," he growled. "Master Orek says to make him pay." With those words, the possessed Ice Master began walking toward the low wall.

Nik panicked; if he didn't find a way out of this, Kristoff was going to throw him off the edge to his death.

-

Elsa and the others reached the top in time to see Kristoff lift Nik off the ground and walk toward the edge, a hand clamped firmly around his neck. Nik was trying to fight back, but Kristoff didn't seem to be feeling anything. "Nik! No!" Elsa screamed. Klara and Anna shouted at Kristoff as well, but he showed no signs of hearing them. He was completely focused on Nik.

Klara darted forward and grabbed her father's arm. "Papa! Wake up!" she shouted as she shook his arm, then pulled on it. "Put Uncle Nik down!" Her voice sounded frantic in her pleas.

Kristoff never looked at her. He twisted his arm and grabbed her by both wrists, his massive hand easily ensnaring her. Then he swung his arm almost casually; Klara flew through the air and landed in front of Anna, the wind knocked out of her. Kristoff just kept moving toward the edge.

Elsa created a patch of ice in front of Kristoff, hoping he would slip, or that the cold would break his concentration. Instead, he just walked right over it as if it weren't there. She began to panic; none of them were strong enough to stop Kristoff, and she didn't want to hurt or kill her sister's husband, or her own.

She watched helplessly as the two men approached the edge, hoping for a miracle as ice began to coat the floor, and rain and snow mixed and swirled around her.

-

Nik saw the flash of magic and heard the ice form, and knew Kristoff didn't feel it. He was running out of options, and air. In fact, he could only think of one option left. He didn't want to do it; he simply had no choice.

"I'm sorry, Kristoff," he choked out. Then he grabbed the big man's forearm with both hands, and pushed both ice and lightning into him. It spread along Kristoff's arm, but the bigger man didn't seem to notice. At least, not until it hit the wound in his shoulder.

When the magic found the wound in Kristoff's shoulder, it swirled under his skin like it had collided with something. Suddenly, the wound reopened and began to bleed; black at first, then a bluish gold, and finally just red. When the red blood flowed from it, Kristoff screamed; his eyes changed from red to brown almost instantly, and his grip on Nik's neck loosened. For good measure, Nik kicked him in the stomach, dropping him to his knees and putting his own feet back on the ground. Shoving the big man's arm away, Nik then punched him in the side of the head.

"Oww! Nik, stop! I yield! I yield!" Kristoff shouted from the ground, covering his head with one arm while holding his sore midsection with the other. When Nik stopped and stood over him, he looked around and asked, "Would someone mind telling me what's going on? Why am I on the roof? And where are my boots?"

Nik was about to speak, when Anna shouted. "You big oaf! You weren't supposed to attack him!" Everyone turned to look at her, hearing the frustration and anger in her voice. Her eyes blazed a bright red, just as Kristoff's had a few moments before. She pointed at Elsa, shouting, "Master Orek said he's supposed to see it all! You were supposed to kill HER!" With that, Anna charged her sister, pushing at her. Elsa backed away until she felt her legs hit the low stone wall, but Anna kept pushing.

"Elsa! NO!" Nik shouted, running toward the edge as Anna shoved her sister over. He reached over the edge, his fingers just missing Elsa's. The quiet of the night was broken by her scream as she flailed, falling through the darkness toward the ground below as Nik watched on in horror. When she crashed through the wooden wagon and impacted the flagstones, he nearly fell off the watchtower himself, as the force of the impact transferred through their link to his own body. Kristoff's hand clamping around his forearm kept him from joining her down below; instead, he fell backwards, screaming and convulsing in pain, his thoughts splintering as his mind tried to grasp what just happened.


	8. I'll Follow You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One quick thing to say: this is the chapter where I figured out what the ThunderSnow love song is: I'll Follow You by Shinedown. Thus, the title of the chapter.

Orek smiled to himself as he sat on the throne in Arendelle, contemplating his results. One of his mind slaves had finally struck and succeeded. It was too bad these connections could only be made once, and couldn't be reforged if broken, though only the other person's death or his choice could break them. He would have enjoyed seeing how Nikolaus reacted to his wife's death. 'Oh well, it's enough to know that the man is in pain,' he told himself. 'The first blow has been dealt.'

He broke the connection to Anna as her sister fell off the roof; oh how he wanted to see what would become of her. 'Surely they won't let her go unpunished for killing her own sister,' he thought with delight. That would be a second blow, and her husband would be the third. But he couldn't risk keeping her under his control much longer, and he couldn't extinguish her mind as he had the guard; she had too much willpower, and if she fought back, he could get hurt. It had happened a few times before, and it left him incapacitated for days. He couldn't afford that right now. It had been hard enough getting into her mind, unlike her husband.

He still had a problem, though; the big ice harvester had gone after the wrong person. Kristoff was supposed to kill the Ice Queen, Elsa, not attack Nikolaus. What did the man know that he didn't? And when Nikolaus had used magic, the pain from the lightning was expected, but why did he get so COLD? It had felt like ice had been wrapped around the lightning.

Orek rose from the throne and strode from the room. 'Maybe a walk through the city will do me some good. Well, what's left of it, anyway,' he thought to himself with a smile. His first assault had demolished most of it. The docks, the castle, and a few outlying buildings still stood; the rest had been consumed by fire or fell to the bombardment. Not that it mattered; when he left, he would raze the rest of Arendelle. There wouldn't be much of a kingdom left here anyway, and no one left to rule it.

He walked through the battered courtyard, avoiding the piles of debris and dead. The flagstones here were still stained with blood; the castle garrison had put up quite a fight. He was impressed at how loyal they were to their royal family. Relatively few members of the garrison had been captured, deciding instead to fight to their last breath. Those who had been marked, he'd had to claim immediately. The citizens of the city weren't so difficult. Oh, they still held out hope, but it was shrinking every day.

Overall, everything was going better than he'd planned thus far. But if he didn't move soon, he would find an army marching toward him. He had assaulted neighboring territories and demolished them as well, though not as effectively as his assault on Arendelle; most of the southern ports of the kingdom were now either destroyed or severely damaged, though he'd found little of the Navy. But it wasn't enough. He had to get to the North, or this was all meaningless. None of his next targets were here.

He made his way to the docks, where more of his ships had tied off. They'd plundered what was left of the city, which hadn't been much. Too much had been destroyed; his bombardment had been too good. With the fires and destruction, most of the goods and valuables had been destroyed as well.

Even that didn't matter much to Orek, as this wasn't about loot anyway. This was strictly about revenge, and he'd already struck several hard blows against Nikolaus. He had their main seat, and destroyed the city and territories surrounding it. He had made the sister kill the Ice Queen, and Nikolaus or his son would HAVE to make her pay for it. If he could get those brothers, the son, and the rest, then his revenge would be complete.

He wouldn't kill Nikolaus, at least not right away. No, once he had taken everything from him, once he had destroyed the man's entire family, he would leave, and let Nikolaus suffer. The man would either go insane, or come after him. If it was the former, well, too bad; it wouldn't be worth it to kill him, as he would already be gone. If it was the latter, then Nikolaus would find him more than willing to end the pain.

His thoughts were interrupted when his first mate approached him. "High Captain," the man saluted. "The men are asking when we'll be moving. They grow restless. They're used to being at sea." His first mate shifted slightly, and didn't meet his eyes; Orek suddenly didn't trust his most trusted man.

"I'm well aware of that, my good man," Orek replied carefully. "Are the preparations for the next assault ready? We have indeed been here too long." He studied the other man's face, looking for any sign of betrayal. Seeing none, he turned away to look at his fleet.

"Indeed they are, sir. Twelve ships, all ready to assault. Four are loaded and ready with men to go ashore, while the others are heavily laden with munitions for bombardment. We await your order, sir," the first mate informed him, shifting yet again.

"Very well. Tell the men to board the ships. You sail at first light for Karland. Once you have that city, raze it and move on to Stonewell. Bring that fortress down," Orek commanded without turning. "But do NOT kill or engage Nikolaus. He is to live. Slay any of his family, but not him."

"Yessir. Forgive me sir," the other man hesitated, then continued, "why is he to survive, sir? I thought you wanted revenge?"

Orek finally turned to the man and smiled. "Oh I do. And I will have it. He's going to see his entire family die before he does, however. But he will die by my hand when he does! Now, get those men on the ships and get out of here!" His first mate bowed quickly and practically ran to carry out orders.

Orek watched the man retreat; he had been a good first mate, and it would be a shame to replace him. But he'd begun asking too many questions. If there was one thing Orek couldn't deal with, it was someone who asked too many questions. Questions led to understanding, and understanding could lead to mutiny. THAT was completely unacceptable.

Orek headed back to the castle. He hadn't figured out his other problem, but this one was taken care of. His force would be sufficient to succeed where his father had failed. Karland would fall, of that there was no doubt. He hoped, however, that his men could bring down Stonewell. If they couldn't, his work would be that much harder.

-

After a few minutes, the physical pain Nik felt passed. He sat up slowly and looked around, noticing Kristoff kneeling beside him. Klara had her mother pinned to the wall, flames in her hands. Anna's eyes had been red a few minutes ago, and she'd been almost unstoppable; now, she cowered in front of her daughter, her eyes their normal teal. "No, no, no," she kept repeating, holding her own head and sobbing.

He sat silently near the low wall; as the shock began to wear off, his mind replayed what happened. Anna had pushed her, pushed Elsa right off the edge. He'd watched her fall, helpless. All he could see was the scared, shocked look on her face as she fell and he could hear her scream echoing in his mind. He felt the tears come again, and he lowered his head as he began to cry once more.

Kristoff hung his head, and reached out to touch him, then stopped and looked at him. "Nik," he hesitated. "Nik, I'm sorry. I don't know what happened. The last thing I remember was being laid in a bed inside. Then I remember you kicking me. And Elsa...oh, I'm so sorry, brother."

Nik shook his head, but made no other effort to move. He knew it wasn't Kristoff's fault. He knew it wasn't Anna's fault. It was all Orek. But right now, any words from either them were meaningless to him. Anyone's words were meaningless. Elsa laid at the bottom of this tower, her life ended. That was all that mattered to him.

He could hear the noise drifting from the ground as a small crowd formed below. He knew he should go down, but he couldn't make himself stand. He was too weak, too numb from pain. Orek had done his job well, too well. They never saw this coming. How could they? These thoughts and memories of Elsa clouded his mind, making it too difficult to think, and he stopped trying, letting his mind go dark.

Nik sat there for what felt like forever, feeling only grief and loss, tears slowly creeping down his cheeks. After a while, he saw Alek and his brothers arrive. Alek fell to his knees and hugged him; he leaned into his son, crying all the harder. "I couldn't save her, Alek," he whispered softly. "I wasn't fast enough. I couldn't save her."

Alek didn't reply, but kept his arms around him. He heard Aksel speak quietly. "What do we tell him?" Nik felt Alek shake his head, then pull back. Looking up, he saw his son was smiling, but he didn't understand why. He also didn't hear Anna crying anymore; she must have cried herself out.

"Come with me, father," Alek told him. "I need you to see something." With that, Alek helped him to his feet, and together they went down to the ground, Aksel and Johan close behind. Nik kept his head lowered; he knew what he was going to see, and there was no way he'd be prepared for it, no matter how well he steeled himself.

Alek stepped out of the tower first, and commanded a path be opened. Then he turned and stepped aside, smiling and gesturing for Nik to come out. A sudden surge of thoughts pressed into Nik's mind as he left the tower, and he paused briefly. His mind was still numb, and he didn't understand the thoughts immediately, but they were there. When he finally realized what they were, he raised his eyes; what he saw stopped him cold, and he stood silently, disbelief etched in his face. It wasn't possible. Was it?

In the center of the gathering, he saw her. Henry was helping Elsa to her feet, the remains of the broken cart pushed aside; the Duke's face was an ashen mask of disbelief. She was bruised, and had cuts all over her face and body; her left arm looked as if it had been broken, but the bones had already healed properly. *Orek will pay for this,* he heard her think. She looked at him, a weak smile crossing her face, and he darted to her, stopping a few feet away. He wanted to hold her, to pick her up, but he also didn't want to cause her more pain. *He will pay for controlling my sister. NO ONE touches Anna and gets away with it.*

"How...how?" was all he could whisper. His mind tumbled and reeled; he had watched her fall, had felt the pain when she hit the ground. The more he tried to think, the more confused he became. The only thing he was sure of was that Elsa stood before him, alive. He vaguely heard male voices as his brothers and son dispersed the crowd, though he paid it no mind; his world had shrunk to Elsa and himself.

Elsa took a couple shaky steps toward him, then wrapped her arms around him for support. *This isn't the first time my powers saved me from certain death,* she told him through their shared thoughts. He slowly, gingerly, wrapped his arms around her as she continued her thoughts. *A strong gust of wind slowed my fall slightly just before I hit, and protected my head and torso. It felt more like falling off a horse at a gallop,* she explained. *But I'm beginning to think that as long as one of us is alive, the other can't die. You should be dead as well, remember? When Eliza put a knife through your heart?*

Nik nodded as he held her. He lowered his head, and cried silently into her shoulder. *I thought I'd lost you. I thought he'd managed another victory,* he thought back. "What do we do now? Everyone will think Anna tried to kill you. And anyone who was watching will think Kristoff tried to kill me," he whispered softly.

Elsa leaned back and looked at him; more of her wounds had disappeared, and the rest were quickly healing. "They did nothing wrong; Orek had controlled them. They'll have to be kept under guard to make sure they can't strike again until he's dead or his sorcery taken away, but I see no reason to punish them," she spoke softly, so no one could hear their conversation aside from the family surrounding them. "Besides, it's a high tower; an assassin was trying to kill us all, and Klara turned him to ash. How's Anna?"

"Scared, but unhurt. Klara had her pinned to the wall, but her eyes were normal again," Nik told her as they turned and went back to the watchtower. Nik's mind was still reeling, though he was beginning to gather his wits once more. "Johan, Aksel, would you help Klara bring her parents down?" he asked his brothers as they passed them. They nodded and went ahead, hurrying up the stairs.

A few minutes later, all five returned, Anna and Kristoff in the center of the group. Alek had joined them inside, and had brought in a dumbfounded Henry, who stared at each of them as if they'd all sprouted a second head. The door was closed and locked; no one else in the castle needed to know of this conversation, but Henry would need to understand if he were going to be of any help. When they had all assembled, they waited patiently for a sign he was ready to listen.

It took several moments, but eventually Henry found his voice. "Okay, I'm new to all this magic," he began, his voice wavering a bit as he spoke, "but would someone PLEASE explain what I've seen in the last few days? The entire world knows about the former Ice Queen, and some know about the former Storm King, but what about those two?" he asked, indicating Alek and Klara. He stared hard at Nik and Elsa, whose wounds by now had all but healed without a single scar. "And what just happened outside? How did you survive a 200 foot fall through a cart onto solid stone?"

The group looked at one another, and they all nodded to Nik. He took that as a signal that he was the spokesman for the family. Looking at the Duke, he began slowly. "I suppose we should start at the beginning. It might make more sense to you that way."

Henry nodded. "That would be a good place to start. Why do I get the feeling I may want to sit down for this?" His face still had a strange tinge to it, and he looked as if he could pass out at any moment. He certainly felt like he could.

Nik chuckled. "It might help. The stairs are probably most comfortable," he joked. "Anyway, you are correct that Elsa was the Ice Queen, and I was the Storm King. Klara was born with fire magic. Alek was born with no indication of magic, and his earth powers didn't manifest until he was in his teens. It was quite unexpected, but saved us all from a sorcerer named Magnar and his son, Halvor. As a bit of trivial information, I had spared Magnar years before when he led a pirate band that tried to take over Damond. That was apparently his entire reason to attack. We, well, Alek with our help, defeated him at the North Mountain.

"A few years ago, a sorceress named Rebeckha, who happened to be the daughter of Magnar, gained control of something called the Kradle. It was a very powerful source of magic, and she bent it to her evil. She captured Alek, intent on using him to take over the kingdom. We freed him, and Elsa and I combined our powers to destroy the Kradle and Rebeckha." He paused, thinking back to that fateful day when he and a Elsa sacrificed their lives for their family and the kingdom. "The sheer amount of magic unleashed destroyed an entire territory, and sent us...somewhere. We still aren't entirely sure where. Some kind of purgatory-like state, according to Kristoff's family. But Rebeckha was defeated, the Kradle was destroyed, and the kingdom was saved.

"It turns out, love is a magic as well, one that does, well, whatever it wants. Alek married a woman named Eliza, who turned out to be Rebeckha's sister, another daughter of Magnar, and another sorceress." His eyes lit up, and the gold flecks in his right eye swirled as he remembered the final battle with her. "She nearly succeeded in taking over the kingdom by locking away Klara, Alek, and my brothers. In despair, Alek wished those he loved most could save them, and we were brought back.

"When we were returned, however, we were greatly changed. You see, when we were taken, we were entwined; we had to add love to our magics to destroy the Kradle. When we returned, the magic separated our bodies, but little else. We now can use each other's powers, and we share thoughts and memories, along with our physical changes. And," Nik paused, smiling at Elsa, "our powers have done far more than we ever expected." He glanced back up at Henry, his smile fading as he finished the tale. "Eliza stabbed me through the heart, and everyone was certain I died. Shortly after Elsa pulled the knife from my chest, I came back to help her finish that sorceress."

Henry had taken a seat on the stairs, and now he leaned back, looking up toward the roof. He laid there for several minutes, absorbing what he had just been told. The others waited quietly while he considered everything. "I'm not cut out for this," he whispered. "This is far beyond anything I ever expected." He sat up when the others chuckled, and asked another question. "So how did she survive that fall?"

Nik looked to Elsa, and a small smile crossed her lips. "My powers have done something similar before. One of your predecessor's men once attacked me in my ice palace, and tried to shoot me. My magic responded to protect me before I'd made a conscious decision to fight back. I survived the fall because the storm magic responded to protect me."

Henry frowned and nodded. "I see. I apologize for that. That man in particular was a fool." He then looked at Nik's brothers. "How do you two handle this? How did you handle growing up around this?"

Johan answered him. "It was...interesting, to say the least. But our father was supportive, and made sure we all understood it the best we could. Some of the things we learned along the way have been hard to comprehend, such as how they left this world and returned. But overall, it's just a part of our lives, and very little has surprised us, in general."

"Are there really others with magic, as the tales claim? Here or abroad?" Henry asked, understanding beginning to take root. "That you know of, anyway?"

Elsa nodded. "Yes. And some that had powers but lost them. Our cousin in Corona, for example. She had healing powers, but lost them when her hair was cut to save her life," she explained. "There are rumors of others that we have not met, and some we will not call by name for fear of summoning them, like the Dark One."

Nik glanced at her while she spoke, and noticed the brief hitch in her voice when she mentioned the Dark One. He frowned, partly because he didn't expect her to know of him, and partly because he noticed Anna tense at the name, immediately followed by her face contorting in what looked to be either pain or disgust. He opened his mouth to ask Elsa about that, but a quick thought from her told him he'd get no answers right now. From her tone, he doubted he ever would.

Henry nodded. "I've heard rumors and children's tales of him in particular. I thought they were just that, intended to scare little ones into behaving. I didn't know they were true."

"Every children's tale has at least a shred of truth to it," Elsa assured him quickly. "The Dark One in particular is very real." Her eyes darted to her sister briefly, and she hoped no one noticed. She suspected Nik did, but she tried not to think on it. "I know others who have dealt with him, and it's a...delicate...matter." She stopped herself from saying more; those were events she didn't want to think about.

Nik nodded in agreement while silently wondering who she knew that had dealt with the Dark One; it sounded like a personal acquaintance. "I once met a man who claimed to have dealt with him," he added. "He kept on about how his Captain was going to hunt down 'the crocodile,' as he called him. From all that I have heard, the Dark One's evil knows no bounds."

"And how does this affect your opinions of this family?" Anna asked Henry, changing the subject and speaking more than a single word for the first time since throwing her sister off the tower. Her expression showed her guilt, but her voice carried a desire to protect her family.

"My opinion, Lady Anna, is the same," he told them all without hesitation, standing as he spoke. "It's clearly evident that this family is strong, and you simply want to protect one another. You're all very special, and the distrust much of the world has against you is unfounded. I'll work to change that, at least in Weselton. You have my word."

Alek walked to the Duke and took his hand in friendship. "That's good to hear, my friend. Now, about that help from Weselton. How soon can it be here?"


	9. I Love It When a Plan Comes Together

Alek had called a war meeting in the Small Council chambers. His parents were present, as well as all three of his cousins and Henry. His uncle Kristoff was confined to his room with his aunt, but his other uncles were present. He needed every sharp mind he could muster; they had a city to reclaim and a kingdom to defend.

"Weselton has a standing army and navy, and can send them as soon as they receive my word," Henry informed them. "All they need to know is where to go. I recommend the navy engage Orek's fleet at Arendelle. We have several heavily armed and armored frigates, and they'll either draw his fleet away, or sink them all, cutting off his escape and paving the way for a sea invasion."

Adrian nodded. "It's a good plan," he agreed. "Our own ships could be ready by then, especially since we've had time to gather our troops. Are you sure you want to risk your warriors, though, Henry? We aren't formal allies yet; you owe us nothing." Adrian kept his face impassive, but inside he was amused; Henry seemed to have an outlook on war similar to his own. Despicable, but sometimes necessary, and it was always best to be mentally prepared for it.

Henry smiled to everyone in the room. "No, Weselton doesn't owe you anything. But we NEED strong trading partners, and if Arendelle and the Northern Alliance falls, that will be one less, and by far the strongest. By assisting your kingdom, I'm helping my own people," he explained. "So yes, I'm sure I want to risk my people for yours."

Nik had been listening as he studied the map spread on the table. A deep concern weighed on him. "If this is indeed our plan, then word must be sent immediately. Orek won't stay in Arendelle indefinitely; he'll strike north, and he'll hit Karland. It's the strongest port, and gives him a clear shot at Stonewell," he told the group. "I often thought on what to do in the event of a planned and informed invasion, and it's what I would do to strike a massive blow. Hans, in his arrogance, went straight for Stonewell, which will not fall if Karland stands; the garrison there is large, and would arrive long before any army could enter this castle. It was designed to withstand a long siege, or a particularly harsh winter."

Henry stood straight. "Then I'll carry a message personally to Karland, and send it on the fastest ship I can find. It's a two day journey round trip, so the navy would probably arrive quickly." His determination and pride in his homeland's abilities were clearly written on his face.

"Adrian, how are the defenses at Karland?" Alek asked his cousin, considering the previous matter settled. "Can they hold up to a sea assault like what we saw in Arendelle?" His concern was great; his wife and daughter were in Stonewell, and he had to do all he could to protect them. That included keeping Karland from falling.

"Possibly," came Adrian's reply. "For a short time, yes. For a longer period, I'm not certain. And if they bombard the city as hard as Arendelle, I doubt it. We'd need reinforcements." He frowned deeply; what he'd been told about the assault at Arendelle still made him nervous.

"What kind of reinforcements?" Alek asked, an idea forming in his head. "Would magical reinforcements be of use, such as a few stone golems?" As he thought more about it, the more he believed his idea might work.

Adrian's face lit up. "Oh yes. Spells to reinforce the walls of the fortress would help greatly as well, my King," he thought aloud. "I wouldn't ask you to raise the floor of the harbor, but any other suggestions you might have would be most welcome."

Alek smiled in return. "Then I'll go to Karland. It seems I could be the most use there," he said, leaving no room for questions on the matter.

"I'll join you, cousin," Klara spoke up. "I won't abandon you in this, Alek. Besides, if the city catches fire, I can contain it, because I can control it. And who knows, maybe I'll get a chance to turn some pirates to ash." Alek nodded in agreement. He had no choice; once her mind was set, very little could sway Klara.

"What of your father and I?" Elsa asked. "What's your plan for the south? Will you march an army through the mountains?" Nik looked at her, seeing as well as feeling her desire to free her home from Orek. It was no surprise; he loved Arendelle, but it had always been her home.

"It would distract him from the sea," Alek agreed. "I think it would be a good diversion. So long as he expects us to build a massive force, we'll have an advantage; at last report, the army amassing south of here is nearly two thousand strong. That's small enough to move quickly through the mountain passes. The other garrisons throughout the kingdom are still calling troops; I want them ready in case Orek does something we don't expect." He looked to his parents, a hopeful expression on his face. "Would the two of you lead the assault through the mountains?"

Nik nodded without hesitation. "It's me he wants. He'd probably love to capture me first, then make me watch the rest of his plans. He'd throw considerable resources at us," he explained, drawing on his years of battle experience and study. Elsa shot a glance at him, but remained silent.

"Then it's settled. Adam, I want you to stay in Stonewell," Alek commanded. "Watch over the Queen and Princess. I would have Rocky and Marshmallow stay as guards as well. They'll make for quite the surprise for Orek if we fail in Karland." He then looked questioningly to the Duke. "Henry, will you and your men ride with Klara, Adrian, and I to Karland?"

Henry nodded. "It'd be my honor, King Aleksander," he replied. "It's been a long time since Weselton has had an ally to stand by." He smiled, his excitement at the possibility growing.

Alek nodded, then looked to his parents. "I wish you well, mother, father," he said slowly. "We will meet you in Arendelle. I promise."

Nik moved to his son, taking his hand and shaking it. "You'd better," he told him, his concern evident in his voice. "I would see this end no other way." Elsa had moved beside him, and hugged Alek hard, the smile on her face saying the same thing wordlessly.

With that, they all left the room, and headed for their own rooms to prepare. The wolves of the North, and their new allies in Weselton, were headed to war once more.

-

Nik and Elsa entered their room, and turned to one another. *Why?* came Elsa's thought. *Why us lead this charge?* She was upset, because Nik hadn't even thought about it, he simply agreed to it.

He stood in front of her and took her hands in his. *Because I will not watch my family die alone,* he told her. *You all promised me we would face this as a family; I won't stand back and let Alek and Klara face this without us.* His expression was ashamed; he hadn't thought Elsa would be upset about this.

She leaned in and kissed him, smirking. *I expected no less. But please, at least think about asking me first. I wasn't prepared in there,* she scolded him playfully. *Now, do we need anything else?* she asked as she grabbed Coldsaber and strapped it on.

He picked up his new war hammer and strapped the holder across his back. *No. Let's get going. We have a meeting with an old acquaintance of mine.* They both smiled as they left the room, and headed to find Asbjorn.

-

"Elsa! Wait, please!"

Elsa stopped and turned toward her sister's voice, and watched as the strawberry blonde hurried around the corner as quickly as she could. Nik stepped beside her, visibly tense. She knew he was still nervous about the incident at the watchtower, so she rested her hand on his arm. *It's alright Nik. Orek can't hurt us with her now. We know what he's capable of, and what to look for.*

Nik smiled and nodded as he met her eyes, then looked back up to watch Anna skid to a stop in front of them. She was panting, and brushed a bit of hair from her face as a pair of guards rushed after her. "It's alright men. Stand down," he ordered them before they could try to restrain her. "We're in no danger here, but thank you for watching her. Stay, so you can escort her back when we're done." The men nodded, then stood at attention.

Elsa stepped forward and took her sister's hands. "What is it, Anna? You look, well, terrible." She saw the grief written in her sister's eyes, and knew something was bothering the technically younger woman. "Did something else happen?"

Anna lowered her eyes and shook her head. When she looked back up, tears stained her cheeks. "I...I just needed to tell you I'm so, SO sorry. It wasn't...I didn't...Orek..." She broke down then, and her sobs filled the hallway.

Elsa wrapped her arms tenderly around her sister and pulled her close, holding her as she sobbed. "It's alright, Anna. I know. It wasn't your fault; you didn't even know what was happening." She squeezed tighter, and felt Anna's arms wrap around her in return.

"That's just it, Elsa!" she managed after a moment. She leaned back, and Elsa saw the pain welling in those teal eyes. "I DID know! I saw everything! I just...couldn't stop it." Anna's head fell again in shame, and she shook her head. "I couldn't stop him."

Elsa looked up to Nik, confusion on her face. His eyes widened, then squinted slightly as he cocked his head in thought. "But Anna, Kristoff said he didn't remember anything until I used magic on him," he reminded the weeping woman. "How do you remember everything?"

All eyes turned to her, and Anna took a moment to gather herself. Finally, she began to explain. "When Kristoff screamed, I felt something pushing into my mind. At first I thought it was just pain from my wound, but then I heard a voice, and it felt like I was being shoved out of my own mind. He..." she paused, choking back another sob, "he told me he was going to make us all suffer. I tried to push back, but it was too late; he was already making me shout and attack."

Elsa pulled her into another embrace, and felt Nik wrap his arms around the two of them. "I'm so sorry, Anna. It wasn't your fault, and you tried. That's all that matters," she whispered, trying to comfort the distraught woman. "There's nothing to forgive." Then she turned inward and spoke silently to Nik. *He WILL pay for this, Nik. However he did this, he will pay.*

She felt Nik nod slowly in response. *Yes, he will. His darkness must be stopped, no matter the cost,* he answered, then slowly released them and straightened. *We have to get going.*

Elsa nodded and gave Anna a final squeeze. "I love you, Anna. We've got to go; we have a meeting with a certain pirate. Go to Kristoff," she insisted. "We'll send for the two of you when it's safe." Anna nodded and let go, allowing the guards to escort her back to her and Kristoff's chambers.

After Anna was out of sight, Elsa looked up at Nik and nodded, then took his hand and turned toward the stables. *Let's go,* she commanded. Nik simply nodded and fell in beside her, his thoughts telling her just how ready he was to bring an end to all of this.

-

Alek and Klara met Henry and his men in the stables. "Are your men all prepared?" Alek asked him. He was thankful that this Duke was so unlike his predecessors; those men quite possibly would have sided with Orek.

Henry turned, smiling. "Indeed they are. And Alek," he paused as the King turned to him. "You were right. I learned a great deal more than I ever expected. I don't know why my predecessors hated your parents so, but when this is over, Weselton will be honored to call Arendelle and the Northern Alliance friends and allies."

Alek smiled in return. "I thank you for that, Henry. I hope that, when this is over, we'll have peace to look forward to for many years." The Duke nodded and shook Alek's outstretched hand firmly.

With that, they all mounted and headed to the road to Karland. It would be a hard ride, and they didn't plan on stopping.

-

Nik and Elsa stood with Asbjorn, watching their son leave with the Duke. They hoped he would be successful. Johan and Aksel were nearby, readying their own horses. Elsa turned to Nik when the others were gone. *We should each have a ride, Nik. I love riding with you, but we're not as maneuverable on one animal.*

*What are you suggesting, _minn elska_?" Nik asked her, intrigued. Her tone told him she had an idea and wasn't sharing it yet.

She turned away, and called in some magic, shaping the spell in her hands. When she released it, snow, ice, and lightning swirled for a moment, then solidified. Before them stood another snow beast, similar to Asbjorn, though decidedly more feminine. It grumbled, then whuffed and sat on its haunches. *Meet Arnbjorg. I've been thinking for a while that Asbjorn needs a playmate.*

Nik laughed, then jumped on Asbjorn. Elsa followed suit, leaping on to Arnbjorg, who rose, grumbled again, and pranced about before settling in. *Well then,* Nik looked at her, *let's be on our way, ladies.* With that, he spurred Asbjorn and started forward, Elsa and Arnbjorg beside them. Johan and Aksel had already mounted, and quickly fell in behind them as escorts.

It was more than a day's ride to where the army was amassing, and another two to Arendelle. They needed to make good time.


	10. Divide and Conquer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next several chapters occupy the same timeframe, and keep us abreast of almost everyone. Bear with me.

Henry rode alongside Alek and Klara, lost in thought. Alek smiled to himself; they had unintentionally turned the poor man's world upside down in a matter of days. One thing was certain: if he hadn't believed in magic before, he certainly did now.

Henry suddenly raised his head and looked at the two magic-wielding cousins. "So, tell me, Alek, how do your powers work?" he asked. The expression on his face showed how much he still didn't understand, despite his newfound belief.

Alek almost laughed. "Well, none of us are exactly sure how they work, we just know that they do," he replied. "There are several theories about magic in the world, but ours don't fall into any of them so far as we can tell." He glanced over at Henry. "But I'm sure you've heard all this before."

Henry chuckled before responding. "Yes, I've heard many magic theories, and I recall the Duke who attended her coronation ranting that your mother's defied those theories. He believed her to be some kind of monster, which is obviously not the case. But that's not what I meant," he tried to explain. "What I meant is, do you have to think about using your powers, or are they simply automatic?"

Alek smiled and looked at him. "I'd describe them as situational. Most of the time, we simply have to think about using our powers, and what we want to do with them," he explained, not sure if the next part would make sense to the Duke. "But in times of high emotions, it becomes much more difficult, and a break in concentration can have disastrous consequences. The magic will also sometimes react to a threat without a conscious thought, as you've recently seen. You've heard the story of how my mother froze all of Arendelle because she didn't understand her powers. As a child, Klara burnt many clothes and draperies as she learned to control hers.

"The key to them, ultimately, is to love and trust. Love and trust the magic, love and trust your family, love and trust your lands, and the powers will obey, regardless of the situation. When we fought Magnar as a family, it was incredibly trying, but we all controlled our powers well. I unfortunately had to destroy my mother's ice palace and half of the North Mountain, but it was necessary." Alek's face fell as he recalled watching those beautiful pillars of ice collapsing in on themselves, and the following eruption of dust and steam.

Henry thought on that for a few moments before he said anything else. "So it's obvious you can use your powers for the protection of the realm, and they work well as weapons," he pondered, "but what about in times of peace? How do you utilize them when you aren't protecting your people?"

Klara answered that question. "That depends on who you ask, and what a person needs. Before destroying Rebeckha and the Kradle, Uncle Nik would use his powers around the kingdom to help our crops reach their maximum potential, and keep the mountain lakes full so the ice trade could continue. Aunt Elsa would use hers to bring refreshment on the hottest days, or help keep the mountain lakes frozen until late summer," she explained. "Now, with their shared powers, they can help each other do those same tasks.

"Alek has put spells on structures to make them stronger, or reinforced damaged ones until they could be repaired. He has also opened up and widened the main road through the mountains so it can be more easily traversed year round," Klara continued. "My own powers have been the hardest to put to good use, but we've found ways. I've learned to make fireworks from nothing, and if I'm nearby, I can and do help control accidental fires that threaten buildings or people. In winter I'm especially useful, as I can use my magic to warm entire buildings."

Henry nodded. "It's a shame that others don't understand you all, or worse, fear you," he commented. "I don't understand why my predecessors hated you so. It's easy to see that you only wish to live in peace."

"That's my only goal," Alek replied, the sadness seeping into his voice. "I desperately want peace for our people. I'll do whatever it takes to find it." He looked over at Henry and smiled. "Opening relations with Weselton would be a welcome step in that direction."

Henry returned the smile. "Indeed it would. Let's hope all goes as we've planned." They continued to talk as they rode, and the trip passed quickly.

-

They found themselves in Karland much sooner than they expected. The group rode all night, trying to make better time, and arrived with the break of dawn. When they reached Karland, Alek called on Karman, Karbane's son and the Lord of Karland since his father's passing. He met them in a small meeting room at the city garrison. "Lord Karman, I'd like you to meet the Duke of Weselton, Henry Smithers," Alek announced.

Karman bowed slightly. "King Aleksander, welcome. M'lord Duke, I am honored. We haven't had an envoy from Weselton in some time." He eyed Henry warily; the Northern Alliance hadn't been on friendly terms with Weselton since before King Nikolaus married Queen Elsa, and Arendelle had stopped all relations with them before that. To see the Duke riding with Aleksander made him uneasy.

"Please," Henry held out his hand in greeting, "I'm no Lord, and I'm only a Duke in official meetings. Call me Henry." Karman locked eyes with the other man; there was no deception to be found there. Feeling somewhat reassured, he smiled and shook the Duke's hand firmly.

Henry then produced a letter, sealed with both his and Alek's emblems. He held it out to Karman, who looked at it questioningly. "I need this letter delivered to Weselton with all due speed. It must go directly to the Grand Admiral, a very close relation of mine. I need to request that our navy and army come to Arendelle's aid immediately."

Karman looked to his King, who nodded his assent. Looking back to Henry, he smiled. "Then it will go on our fastest ship, the _Queen Elsa_. There is no ship at sea that can keep up with her." He accepted the letter from Henry and turned to his lieutenant. "Get this to the _Elsa_ at once, and take it to Weselton personally. Inform the captain of the ship to leave immediately, and to sail with all possible speed." The man took the letter, saluted, and hurried toward the docks. Turning back to Henry, Karman nodded. "That letter WILL get through, m'lord. I promise you that."

Alek then broached a new subject. "Karman, how stands the garrison and the rest of the navy? Have they prepared for an assault?" he asked. They all feared it would come, the only uncertainty was when. Alek considered them all fortunate it had not yet happened.

"We called in everyone when the alarm came a few days ago, Your Majesty," the man replied. "The garrison is now at full strength, and the navy is prepared, though I should like at least some of our ships to be out to sea and prepared to engage any force from the rear. It would allow us to surprise those pirates and turn the battle to our favor quickly," he reasoned.

Alek thought on this, but it was Adrian who responded. "I agree. It's a sound plan, Karman. If our King agrees, we should make it happen today." He looked to Alek expectantly; he was certain his father would have suggested the same.

Alek looked thoughtful for a moment, then finally nodded. "Do it. Leave part in the harbor so they're less likely to expect an ambush, but send the larger portion to sea. I would see their force sent to the bottom." He wasn't sure if the feeling he had now was hope...or desperation.

"As for the city," Adrian continued, "we should consider sending troops out to strategic locations. It would allow us a faster response to any invading troops." His father had made sure he studied history, particularly in the art of war. As Aksel's presumed successor, Adrian had taken to the studies well. "We don't want to see a repeat of the last sack of Karland."

Alek nodded in agreement. "I agree completely. I do not wish to share my grandfather's fate. I would gladly give my life for the kingdom, but if given the choice, I rather enjoy living." This generated a much needed chuckle around the table. He looked to Adrian and Karman. "This is your city, Karman. Where would be the best locations for our troops to be stationed?"

-

They planned the city's defense for several hours, and it was now well past noon. No one in the group had slept much, if at all, but there were still many preparations to be made. Klara had even had to reheat the coffee a few times. "I believe we should head out and inspect the garrison," Adrian suggested. "The movement would help to wake us all, and I'd like to inspect the troops anyway." The rest of the group nodded, and they made their exit.

When they emerged in the courtyard of the garrison, the sunlight made them all squint as it reflected off nearly every surface. When their eyes adjusted, they were met by the sight of troops training and commanders shouting orders as men hustled to make final preparations. A few platoons were marching out of the stronghold, making for their stations around the city.

As they watched the activity, a messenger ran up and saluted. "King Aleksander, Lord Karman, I bring word from the harbor master." He handed a note to Karman, then stood at attention, awaiting further instructions.

Karman opened the note and read it. He nodded and smiled, then looked to the messenger. "Thank you, son. That'll be all." As the messenger saluted and left, Karman turned to Alek and Henry. "Your message is on its way, Henry. The _Elsa_ left over three hours ago for Weselton. I hope your Grand Admiral is a speedy man, and makes for Arendelle with all haste."

Henry smiled and nodded. "I assure you, he will. He's my brother, and led the—"

A sudden blast from the watchtower horn interrupted him. Alek, Klara, and Adrian looked at one another, then charged for the stairs that lead to the top of the wall, Henry hard on their heels. Another warning blast sounded as they reached the top, answered by loud thuds and high pitched whistles. Looking out over the harbor, their fears were realized: Orek's assault on Karland had begun.

The entire group stood in awe at the twelve pirate ships floating in the water. The men seemed to have lost their voices, but Klara certainly hadn't. She uttered a single word that appropriately described the situation; "Shit."


	11. An Army on the Move

The four of them passed through the territories quickly, Asbjorn and Arnbjorg loping along in front of the pair of horses. They only stopped a few times, mostly to water the horses. The snow beasts were nearly tireless, and could draw on the magic if needed for a boost; at this slower pace they were keeping for the two horses, they could have made it to Arendelle without stopping.

As evening approached, Nik and Elsa decided the group would stop for the night. They were another night's ride from where the army was encamped and could have pushed on, but it would be safer to approach in daylight. In the darkness that would soon fall, they could easily be mistaken for a hostile force and attacked.

They found a small clearing amongst the trees and reined in their mounts. As soon as Nik and Elsa unloaded the two snow beasts, they bounded off into the trees, chasing, nipping, and playing with one another. The family members laughed as they watched the two leave, then turned to make camp.

As Johan and Aksel saw to their horses, Nik started a small fire. He would take first watch, and Johan would relieve him at midnight. As flames began to build and engulf the wood, Elsa knelt next to him and smiled mischievously. *They wouldn't see it coming,* she thought to him. In her hand, despite the warm air, she held a snowball. *And we could start the score early this year. We could also all use the distraction.*

Nik chuckled as he considered her proposal. He loved snowball fights, and always had. It was something they had discussed at length long ago, and he had since determined that she was the only one who loved them more than he. Before their powers had joined, she would even wake him with a snowball dropped on his chest from time to time. Now, they often played like this. But she was right; they all could use a good laugh. *I'll take Aksel,* he replied with a smile, creating his own snowball.

They rose together, and quietly moved into the shadows. They slowly made their way to where Aksel and Johan stood repacking a few things on their horses, being careful not to make a sound. Nik and Elsa looked at one another and nodded, and let their snowballs fly. They soared through the air toward their targets.

Johan saw the snow erupt around Aksel's head. He had no time to react, as another hit him in the back of the head as well. Both men stood still, then slowly looked at one another. From the darkness behind them, they heard two distinct laughs, one male, one female. They turned and prepared to charge their brother and sister in law when two larger snowballs hit them both in the chest and knocked them off their feet.

Nik and Elsa emerged from the shadows, still red in the face from laughing as they approached the vanquished men. Kneeling, Nik spoke. "The games begin, brothers," he informed them. "You'll have to work harder than ever this winter." Laughing again, he helped Aksel and Johan to their feet and helped brush the snow from them.

Elsa slid beside Nik, putting an arm around him and smiling. "Come on, boys. Play time's over. Let's go eat and get some rest. We have a long few days ahead of us," she told them all playfully, pulling Nik toward the fire.

As they moved toward the fire, Aksel leaned to Johan and whispered in his brother's ear. "The games started weeks ago. When this is over, remind me to tell you some of the surprises I have for the two of them." The two younger brothers smiled at one another; they were going to make their opponents work for a victory this winter.

Sitting around the fire, the four of them enjoyed a few moments of amicable silence. Eventually, though, minds began to wander, and Johan decided to say something and break the silence. "Nik," he said softly, "do you realize this is the second time you and I have made this trip in a play to rescue Arendelle from an enemy?"

Nik thought back to that fateful trip over two decades ago and nodded. "Indeed it is. Last time, however, the stakes were much different," he answered. "Last time, we were simply trying to run off some hostile dignitaries. This time, we face a much more...stubborn...foe."

Elsa leaned into Nik and elbowed him playfully. "Just promise me one thing, my love," she giggled and looked at him. When he looked at her with a puzzled expression, she continued, "Don't get married this time. I think I'd be rather upset." Her smile widened as his expression changed from confused to amused.

His brothers tried to stifle their laughter, but soon found themselves in hysterics. A moment later, he and Elsa's laughter joined theirs. When they calmed, he addressed them all. "Alright, I promise not to get married again. Now, the rest of you get some sleep." He was still smiling when she kissed him goodnight. As they all turned in, though, he could still hear their muffled laughter.

-

Several hours later, Nik was leaning against a tree, Mjolnir leaned beside him, when he heard a sound in the brush. His hand instinctively went for his weapon, and in his other he quickly held an orb of storm magic. After a moment, Asbjorn appeared from the brush, followed closely by Arnbjorg. Nik released the breath he'd been holding and reined in the magic. "You two should be more careful!" he scolded them quietly. "I thought you might be an enemy."

Asbjorn whuffed quietly and approached Nik, nuzzling his hand and giving it a quick lick; this was the snow beast's attempt at an apology. Nik couldn't help but chuckle. "You're forgiven, Asbjorn," he whispered. "But next time, don't give me such a start."

The two snow beasts wandered to the other side of the camp and settled in near Elsa. Nik watched them for a moment, smiling. If there were anything out there, those two would have raised some kind of alarm. As he looked around, he saw Johan stir and rise from his bedroll, then move over to him. "Is my watch over so soon?" he asked his younger brother when he neared.

"Close enough," Johan replied. "And even if it wasn't, I'd try to relieve you. I trained myself long ago to watch out for you, Nik," he told his older brother. "A habit like that will never go away. Go get some rest."

Nik nodded and walked over to where Elsa lay sleeping. He sat beside her, smiling as he watched her sleep for several minutes. *You are so beautiful when you are resting, _minn elska_ ,* he thought to her quietly, trying not to wake her. *I love you.*

*And I love you,* came her reply, though she never opened her eyes; she apparently hadn't been asleep. *Now come lay with me. I miss your closeness.* Nik smiled and curled up to her; he would never argue with a demand like that. She pressed back into him as he wrapped an arm around her, and in minutes they were both asleep.

-

Elsa and Nik's group had rendezvoused with the army earlier that afternoon, and they had begun their march immediately. They rode near the head of the column, while Johan and Aksel rode near the commander, discussing how best to assault Arendelle. The rest of the men shied away from the two snow beasts, despite reassurances that they wouldn't harm anyone.

*Nik,* Elsa thought to him. *I've been thinking, and I'm a bit concerned by what happened in Stonewell,* she admitted to him. *By rights, I shouldn't be here. Nor should you, after the altercation with Eliza. If what I said the other day is true, if we really can't die as long as the other lives, then I'm worried you may become reckless with this part of our connection.*

He was quiet for a few minutes, his gaze unfocused as he thought. Elsa tried not to pry, but she could see him thinking back over the reckless things he had done in his past. She was about to prod him when he finally responded. *I'll try not to. I understand your concerns, and I share them. I don't want to depend on the magic restoring life to one of us or otherwise shield us from death, and then have it stop doing so someday,* he explained. *I intend to act as though a critical hit would still kill me.*

Elsa nudged Arnbjorg closer to Asbjorn, and reached out to touch Nik's arm. *Thank you, my love,* she told him. *I'm glad you understand.*

The army was approaching the mountain pass when Aksel and Johan rode up to them. "Nik, Elsa, the column will have to narrow. It'll slow us down significantly," Aksel told them. His experience as General Commander had given him plenty to draw on. "I suggest you two move back in the column somewhat. We could be ambushed at any time."

Nik smiled at his brothers' concern. They had never stopped looking out for him or Elsa. "Thank you, my brothers," he responded, "but I think we'll stay toward the front. I doubt we'll be ambushed today." Beside him, Elsa smiled and nodded, her thoughts telling him she agreed. "Besides, I'm convinced Orek will strike for Stonewell first. I doubt he's fully aware of what's marching down on him."

"As you wish, Nik," Johan replied. "In that case, we'll ride beside you. We have always belonged at your sides." With that, the brothers fell in beside the couple, and the four of them rode on, talking quietly amongst themselves.

-

From the high point of the pass, they could see the ruins of the North Mountain. The sight of it brought back painful memories for Nik and Elsa, who tried to avoid the view. *We almost lost him,* Elsa thought to Nik with a shudder, referring to the blast of dragon flame that had sent Alek flying down the mountain. *We're lucky he survived.*

*We're lucky any of us survived,* he responded, the pain in his thoughts. *Magnar was indeed powerful. Had we not worked together as we did, we would've all fallen.* He turned his head to gaze at her as she rode. *I am so very glad we didn't fail,* he thought with a smile.

She smiled in return. *As am I, my love. As am I.*

They talked silently like this for much of the rest of the day. When night fell, the column found a large clearing along the road and made camp. Johan and Aksel assigned watchmen, then retired for the night. Nik and Elsa found their way to their tent and went inside. The two snow beasts curled up together outside it, having already become attached to one another. Elsa drug Nik into bed and curled up to him, taking some comfort in their closeness.

-

When morning came, the two thousand men of the column rose together and broke camp with great speed. They still had at least another day before they would be close to Arendelle, and would not be able to strike until the next morning. Nik issued the command to move slowly, intent on the army arriving fresh and ready for battle; he had a feeling it would be a hard one.


	12. Fire and Brimstone

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Meanwhile, in Karland

The four of them looked out over the harbor. Four ships had entered the harbor, all flying those ominous black flags. Further out, eight more ships sat, firing their cannons at the city. The ships in the harbor had launched landing boats; dozens of small craft rowed their way toward shore, and would be ashore in moments. The fighting would begin in earnest then.

At the naval docks, confusion reigned. Ships were half loaded and only partially crewed, as the order for some of the fleet to leave the harbor had only been issued an hour before. No ships moved to engage the enemy, though a few that were properly positioned returned a few cannon shots. Thankfully few enemy rounds were aimed at the fleet; it quickly became apparent that Orek's men intended to capture as many ships as possible.

Adrian turned to Henry. "I could use another skilled commander to help lead against these raiders, Henry," he told him, his expression hopeful. "I'd be in your debt if you'd have your men join a squad, and if you'd lead it."

Henry nodded. "It'd be my honor, Commander Adrian." He turned to Alek and bowed. "By your leave, sire." When Alek nodded, the two men charged down the stairs, heading towards the men who were rapidly filing out of the barracks, Henry's men joining them quickly. They immediately divided into squads and prepared to rush into the city.

Alek and Klara turned back to the harbor. The landing boats were closing in, and a couple were already beginning to offload troops. The city patrols waited on shore for them, but they wouldn't hold long. The garrison had to deploy its remaining troops quickly; Adrian and Henry would see to that. Their voices could be heard shouting orders over the roar of the cannons outside.

"We should join the fight," Klara said, looking to her cousin. "We can't let them stand alone. Your parents wouldn't." Her expression showed her hope that he would agree; she knew they couldn't stand here and do nothing.

Alek nodded solemnly. "You're right. They'd be right in the thick of it," he answered. "But from up here, we can see more, and deploy our magic better. Let's face it, we can use it as ranged weapons, and maybe do more good." He understood Klara's unspoken words; it was their kingdom, if they didn't fight for it, who would?

Klara thought for a moment, then called in her fire magic. "Works for me. I'm ready when you are." Twin orbs of power surged and glowed in her palms as she readied herself to attack.

Alek drew Frostbite, feeling his power surge. He drew a line along the ground in front of him with the tip of the blade, and watched as a long, shallow fissure opened just out from shore, hidden in the shallow water. It wasn't wide, but many of the raiders fell into it immediately; they had been caught completely off guard by the sudden opening of the earth. A smile crossed his face as he watched the pirates flounder in the suddenly very deep water. It wouldn't stop them, but it would give the city's defenders more time.

Klara released a few fireballs at some of the landing craft that were still moving toward shore. She hit two, engulfing them in flame; the screams of the men in those boats could be heard even on the top of the garrison walls. Where her fireballs missed, the water evaporated, creating scalding hot steam that was almost as dangerous as the flames. A few of the boats floated directly into the steam clouds, and the men aboard immediately screamed in agony.

A warning shout from a nearby soldier caught Alek's attention, and he turned to see a cannonball flying toward them. "Klara! Watch out!" he shouted, grabbing her and pulling her toward him. They both tumbled to the ground as the round hit close to where they had been standing, causing the walkway on the parapet to explode in a shower of stone and pebbles. Before they could rise and move, another cannonball impacted the wall just below them. The wall cracked and groaned before it collapsed, taking the two cousins with it. They fell through the rubble and came to rest at the foot of the wall, landing hard on a pile of stones.

-

Henry and Adrian each took a squad and charged through the streets down to the beachhead. As they ran, they shouted orders, both at their men and citizens in the city; as they passed homes and shops, they ordered citizens to evacuate immediately. At the beachhead, both men and their squads engaged the pirate raiders; their swords rang repeatedly as they connected with others.

Adrian fell back on his training. Aksel had pushed him to be the best fighter in the kingdom, and he'd done his best to learn. That training served him well now, as no blade was able to reach him despite his lack of armor; he simply hadn't had time to put it on. His men fought hard beside him, his battle cry echoed along their lines. A stray thought crossed his mind: 'Father, regardless of today's outcome, I hope to make you proud.'

Nearby, Henry waded into the oncoming pirates, his sword flashing brightly, staining the ground around him red as the blood of his opponents ran along the blade. His time spent as a leader in the Weselton Rebellion had honed his fighting skills well. His men fought hard to stay near him, and he shouted encouragement with every swing of his blade. "C'mon, men! For Arendelle! For the North! For King Aleksander!" His cries were echoed around him as the men pressed the pirates hard.

A sudden rush from beside his squad made Henry turn, and he was suddenly face to face with another group of pirates; they were attempting to flank the city's defenders. He turned his attention to the new threat, shouting orders over the ringing of swords. He met the burly leader of this new group himself, and their swords met hard. Blow after blow fell, and neither man could touch the other; other men gave them room to fight, too busy with their own opponents to help either leader.

The pirate began to push Henry back, and he soon found himself struggling. The ground beneath him turned rocky, and he stumbled; the other man swung, and Henry barely avoided the stroke. He knew he was facing death, and started to rise to meet it when he heard a now-familiar voice shout his name.

"Henry! Down!" Without hesitation, Henry dropped to the ground. The pirate stood above him, sword raised for the kill. The air suddenly sang as Adrian's sword flew over him, piercing the pirate through the chest and toppling him backwards. He watched as the other man's chest heaved a few times, then stilled with a gurgle of blood.

Then Adrian stood over Henry, offering his hand. Henry took it, and Adrian pulled him from the ground, then grabbed his own sword from the fallen pirate. "Thank you, Adrian. I owe you," Henry told him, a smile on his face; he was relieved to be alive.

Adrian smiled in return and shook his head. "We'll figure out who owes who later. You'll have plenty of chances to save me before the day is done," he replied. With a nod of agreement, the two of them charged back into the battle, side by side, swords flashing brilliantly in the midday sun. All around them, pirates fell to their assault.

-

Alek rose slowly, dusting himself off. He groaned as he stood; he was sore and had a few scrapes, but no broken bones. A few feet away, Klara coughed and sat up. "Well, that's enough of that," she muttered as she rose, checking herself for injury. Turning to Alek, she met his eyes fiercely. "Those ships will burn. Their cannons will rest on the sea floor."

Alek reached out and grabbed her arm, the heat from it nearly burning him. He held on anyway, and spoke. "Klara, listen. Target the ships out to sea. I'll raise golems from the harbor floor to take care of these four." She nodded at him and turned toward the water, watching as the ships unleashed another volley at the city.

'This will be a challenge,' Klara thought to herself. 'I've never tried this distance before.' She closed her eyes and felt with her magic, skimming along the water until she found the eight ships bombarding the city. Calling fire to her hands, she created a pair of large fireballs, drew back, opened her eyes, and released them toward the furthest two ships. She and Alek watched as the balls of flames flew through the air, arcing slowly over the water and increasing in size. As they fell, they could hear shouts echoing across the waves, then the two fireballs hit their targets, erupting spectacularly and igniting the ships. Klara smiled at her success as men began to leap from the burning craft.

"Nice shot," Alek congratulated her. "Keep it up." Then he turned to the harbor, where four vessels continued offloading troops. Distantly he pondered how there were so many men aboard, but decided it didn't matter. He reached out with his own magic along the bottom of the fjord, and called on the bedrock; four stone golems rose above the waves with loud roars, and marched toward the enemy ships.

Aboard those ships, men began shouting and pointing toward the massive stone monsters. One by one, cannons were aimed at the golems and fired. To the dismay of the men aboard the ships, the cannonballs simply ricocheted off the golems, causing no real damage. The only thing the shots accomplished was enraging the monsters, who charged through the waters ever faster.

They attacked without mercy. The four golems crashed into the ships, smashing the timbers apart. Within seconds, the ships were taking on water; within minutes, all four were pieces of driftwood. When the last ship was destroyed, Alek released the four golems, letting the stone they were made of fall back to the floor of the harbor. He smiled to himself; the monsters had served their purpose wonderfully.

Turning back to the outlet of the fjord, he saw what was left of Klara's handiwork; four vessels still floated, drifting out to sea while aflame, the others being just smoke and steam rising from the water. Men splashed about, trying to find safety. Alek gave a congratulatory nod to Klara, and she returned it with a smile, her eyes shining with pride. "We should have tried this back in Arendelle," he mentioned casually.

Klara's eyes held no amusement when she looked at him. "We weren't ready then," she replied, her voice hard. Something in her had hardened in the heat of battle, and Alek could see it in her eyes. "That pirate will pay for taking us by surprise."

He simply nodded, and together the two of them walked along the shore toward the garrison's gate, intent on regrouping with the city's defenders.

-

By evening, the majority of the pirates had been captured and imprisoned, or had been slain. A few had escaped, but not enough to mount an assault of any scale. Alek, Klara, Henry, and Adrian met once again in the garrison courtyard.

"Well met, cousin, Henry," Alek greeted them, shaking their hands. "I see you two made it through the day." He noticed the friendly smiles between the two of them, but decided not to say anything. He also noticed Karman approaching, his clothes and armor stained with blood as well; he had seen more than his share of the fight.

"Indeed," Adrian replied. "The day's been won, sire. The city is safe, and the enemy fleet's been decimated. But our work is not yet done. I recommend we make for Arendelle by sea with all haste; your parents will be nearing there soon, and a sea assault would be most helpful to their cause."

Beside him, the Duke nodded his agreement. "My brother should be receiving my request for aid and launching the fleet as soon as possible. It'd be best to meet them en route." The look in his eye showed his anxiousness; he wanted to join the battle for Arendelle, if just to reclaim what rightfully belonged to a friend.

Alek nodded, then issued an order. "Karman, ready the fleet, every ship that can handle the trip. We sail for Arendelle at once." The group dispersed quickly to prepare for their voyage. Every one of them hoped to reach their destination in time.


	13. The Tides Shift

Orek laid in his bed, writhing as the last of the pain faded. He knew his assault on Karland had failed, and miserably. He knew because, as each man he controlled died, his pain at the severing of the connections grew. Eventually he'd cut off all of them; the pain was starting to consume his mind, and ending those connections would let the pain ebb.

He was also reeling from the devastation to his fleet. Annihilation would actually have been a better description. Twelve ships; twelve of eighteen, lost in a matter of minutes. The Northern Alliance was obviously harboring sorcerers; one who wielded impressive skill with fire, and another who could make the very bedrock of the world do his bidding. That was very dangerous, and would make destroying Nikolaus and the remainder of his family all the harder. If he could separate those sorcerers, or even one of them, and make a deal, he might stand a chance. His other option was to destroy them; a difficult feat, but possible.

And then there was the King's cousin and the man from Weselton. They were a force to be reckoned with; each of them had slain dozens of men, and when he last glimpsed either of them, they hadn't taken a scratch despite their lack of armor. It would be a shame to kill that Duke, as he could use a warrior like that. He knew, however, that the man wouldn't join him willingly, and so he needed to be removed.

As the pain in his mind receded to a dull ache, he rose and moved to a chair, looking out the window over the fjord and the burnt city. He knew he should probably flee. It would save his men, and possibly himself. But he would be forever labeled a coward throughout the world. No lands or ships would fear him, not for a long time. His command would likewise be laughed at. No, he was committed to this, and had to see it through, regardless of how it turned out.

After a time, he rose and left his room, striding through the castle to the courtyard, then out into what remained of the city. He inspected the defenses his men had built: low walls of stone and debris blocked any easy path into the city, and his six remaining ships sat ready to repel any sea invasion. It would take a massive fleet to enter the fjord. He could hold here for a long time; Arendelle was in an excellent location for defense.

But he needed more. He needed to make sure he would win the next battle, a battle he knew was coming within a day; Nikolaus was sure to be headed this way with an army, and by now would be within striking distance. Another defeat could lead to a mutiny by his men, and ultimately his demise.

Night had fallen, and the moon shone down on the cobblestones. A passing cloud darkened the street, and an idea came to the High Captain. He turned back to the open ground behind him, and called on his summoning ring; from the shadows, a hundred of his shadow warriors rose silently. Each one looked the same, with their dark cloaks and hidden faces. Each one also carried a sickly black blade, crooked and jagged. It was with these blades that his power grew. Any person they injured with these blades, so long as they didn't die, he could control indefinitely, or until he chose to release them.

Orek smiled as they all looked at him obediently. "My shadow warriors, this next mission falls to you. An army approaches from the north, and with it rides a man who I want to suffer. Stop his army, and turn as many men as possible!" Then he released them to their mission, and they silently raced up the road through the darkness on foot. As he watched them move through the shadows, he smiled; if things went well, if his shadow warriors took them by surprise, Nikolaus would indeed suffer a great loss tonight.

-

Nik couldn't sleep. They were only a short distance from Arendelle, and the men were resting, ready to strike with the break of dawn. With luck, they would have help from the seas, though he wasn't counting on it until after their own attack began, possibly as late as the evening. He should've been relaxed, or at least somewhat at ease, but something gnawed on the back of his mind.

Elsa knew he was nervous; he always fidgeted when something bothered him. When he sat up yet again, she thought to him, *Tell me what's bothering you.* It wasn't quite a command, but she knew he'd answer her. She just didn't know if she'd like the answer.

*Something isn't right. We're this close, yet Orek has shown no signs of rising to meet us, or that he suspects we're here,* he replied over their link. His frown deepened as he continued his thought, *It troubles me that he hasn't at least sent someone up to issue terms for our surrender, not that we would. He MUST know we're here, since we weren't exactly quiet making camp. What's he waiting for?*

Elsa nodded in the darkness, understanding his concern. *Your brothers are on watch; if you want to join them, do so,* she sent to him. *I know it'll ease your mind. You'll be restless otherwise, and I'll never get any sleep.* A small smirk graced her lips as she tried to lighten his spirits at least marginally.

Nik turned and smiled, hovering over her. *I do love you so very much, Elsa. When this is over, let's go away for a while, just we two. I don't care where, just as long as we can be alone.* When she smiled brightly and nodded, he leaned in and kissed her. *I'll return soon.* With that, he rose, picked up Mjolnir, and left the tent.

-

When he emerged in the cool night air, Asbjorn rose and quickly fell in beside him. The great snow beast sent him an image of a battle, and its expression was almost a questioning one. "Not yet, Asbjorn," Nik spoke softly. "But soon. Very soon, we'll be fighting for our home." The two of them walked slowly, Nik nodding to a few other men who were awake as they passed. Few gave Asbjorn a second glance; over the course of the march, most had come to accept that the great snow beasts meant them no harm.

They reached the outer perimeter of the encampment and paused near the sentry. He acknowledged them briefly, then resumed his watch duties, his gaze intent on the forest around them. Nik stared into the trees, watching for any movement; the forest was quiet, almost unnaturally quiet. Even the owls were silent. He wasn't sure how much time had passed, but the forest had remained still and silent for an hour at least before anything changed.

Without warning, Asbjorn crouched and growled loudly, spikes of ice rising from his back and tail like hackles on a dog. Nik glanced at the beast, then to where it was staring. Something, no, some things moved quickly in the shadows, and he reached for his war hammer, pulling it from its holder. He once again noticed it pulse briefly in his hand, then refocused on the things in the trees. His instincts told him they weren't friendly, so he called out, "Hostiles! To the south!" To Elsa, he thought quickly, *Arm yourself, love. They're coming.*

The things in the trees attacked as one. When they entered the dim light of the camp, Nik could finally make them out; dark cloaks, and hooded faces that had no features. 'More of these things?' he thought to himself briefly as he called his magic to the surface. Then the first ones were on him, Asbjorn, and the other sentries.

He swung the hammer first, and connected with an attacker. It fell backwards, what sounded like its bones shattering with a sickening crack. Nik followed with a few bursts of lightning and ice, dropping several more. Glancing around, he quickly lost count of their numbers; there were at least a hundred, perhaps more.

Beside him, Asbjorn had mauled two of the things, and had a third in its jaws, crushing it and shaking it violently. Another approached quickly and sliced at the snow beast, but the blade passed through it harmlessly; magic flared and lashed out, obliterating the attacker as Asbjorn healed instantly and continued to fight.

A familiar blade suddenly flashed to his other side, and Johan was next to Nik, cutting his way through the attackers. Several others had come with him, and Nik could hear the clamor as more men rose to meet the attack. He hoped Elsa would be alright; Arnbjorg would stand by her, of that he was sure.

Refocusing in front of himself, Nik saw another two of the shadowy men attack. He blocked one blade with Mjolnir, and dodged the other. He kicked out at the one he had dodged, connecting with its face and sending it tumbling away. When he turned back to the one he blocked, it lunged; he felt his pants tear, and the coolness of the blade before a searing pain shot through his thigh. He looked at the faceless man, and swung his hammer hard in an upward motion. He didn't realize he'd called magic to the blow, but a blast of lightning erupted from the hammer when it hit, coursing through his opponent and sending it flying, smoke trailing from the dead body.

Nik fell back, Asbjorn guarding him as he staggered. Looking down, he saw the slice in his pants, but no blood; when he touched his skin, he didn't even feel where the blade touched him. He staggered backwards, his thigh still burning, though he didn't understand why; he wasn't injured, there shouldn't even be any discomfort. All he knew was that he couldn't put much pressure on that leg without feeling a searing heat. He couldn't fight the front line with a limp, so he backed away to find Elsa.

-

Elsa came across Nik as he limped slowly away from the front. Arnbjorg snarled loudly as she rushed past to join the fray, while Elsa stopped and caught him as he stumbled. *What happened?* she thought to him, concerned; he never retreated from a fight if her safety was at stake.

*I'm alright,* he returned, his thoughts laced with pain. *Just a little wound in the leg, I think. I'll be fighting again in a moment.* He grimaced again, but tried to stand anyway; he managed, but swayed on his feet and reached out to a tree for support.

Elsa looked at him, seeing the pain on his face, then turned and ran to the battle, Coldsaber in her hand, the ice blade reflecting blue in the firelight. She could feel her own thigh burning where she knew Nik had been injured, and had felt the coolness, then the heat; it hadn't been as minor as he'd made it sound. She knew he was hurt, though just how bad she didn't know.

She reached the battle and quickly looked around. Men were fighting hard, but the battle was going to last for a while if she didn't act. Her mind raced, and a shadowy figure approached her, its blade poised to strike. Elsa attacked first, ice magic racing along Coldsaber's blade as she first parried the blow, then slashed the attacker; shards of ice flew from the blade and impaled her opponent, dropping it instantly. Another attacked her, and she unleashed a blast of lightning, ending its life.

Glancing along the battle again, Elsa determined she needed to end this quickly. She called both storm and ice magic, and let it swirl around her as a third shadowy figure approached. Ice ran along the ground, and hail and freezing rain began to pelt the attackers, slowing them as they tried to fend off this new counterattack. Then she reached out with both arms, feeling each of the remaining attackers with her magic; with a war cry, she released several bolts of lightning from the small storm swirling around her, destroying them all.

When the storm died out, the men paused and looked around at the devastation the Ice Queen had unleashed on their enemy. As one they cheered for her, then began looking for any wounded. There were none; the attackers had slain a few men, but with her help and that of the snow beasts, the attackers had been stopped before too many had perished.

Elsa left the battlefield and returned to Nik, finding him now standing on his own. She put her arms around him and held him, and he returned the embrace. She worked hard to hide her thoughts from him, though, because something wasn't right. Her thigh, where his wound had been, still burned. She was sure his did too, though he'd be too stubborn to admit it.

-

Orek woke and frowned as the sky began to lighten. His shadow warriors' attack last night had NOT gone as planned. Nikolaus had slain several of his shadow warriors himself, along with the help from those two snow beasts. From what he'd seen, the man still looked quite young. Every man in the army above Arendelle was a skilled fighter, and none of them were wounded as far as he knew. A few had been slain, sure, but he could feel no new marks he could control, no one he could turn against Nikolaus.

But he had an even bigger problem. He had seen through one of his shadow warrior's eyes, and watched her call in the storm. The Ice Queen was very much alive, and held storm magic as well as ice and snow. How she had survived her sister's attack, he didn't know. But she was coming with Nikolaus, and she was still very strong. And she hadn't aged either.

He rolled from his bed and began to pace. Since he had sent his ships to Karland, nothing had gone as planned. He knew Nikolaus' army would strike soon, and at nearly full strength. Fear crept into his mind as he quickly realized that the Northern fleet would be coming as well, as very little damage had been inflicted on it per his own orders. And he had no way of knowing if they'd sent for aid.

Orek paced for a while longer, then stopped in front of the wardrobe with a sigh. Resigned, he dressed quickly in his finest clothes, and donned his favorite hat. 'If I am to die today,' he thought to himself, 'at least I'll die looking like a High Captain.' Then he strode from the room, headed to the courtyard to await the coming battle.


	14. Rise

The sun was well up in the sky as the Northern army descended into Arendelle at full speed, Nik and Elsa riding their snow beasts at the head, flanked by Johan and Aksel. After the skirmish last night, a small war meeting had decided that they would wait a few hours before launching the attack, to give the fleet and Weselton more time to arrive. When the time finally came, the army fell upon the outer defenses hard, but the pirates managed to hold firm for over an hour. Small platoons broke off to search for an opening in the defenses, but all reported back with none.

Tired of making no headway, Nik sent an idea to Elsa, who quickly agreed despite the risks. With little effort or encouragement, Asbjorn and Arnbjorg leapt over the defenders' walls to let their riders attack from the rear. Nik and Elsa lashed out with their weapons and their magic, creating havoc behind their enemies' lines and forcing them to retreat and regroup. In a matter of minutes, the column was entering the city, breaking up into smaller units in an attempt to push the pirates out. It was slow, and progress stalled many times.

Elsa kept herself close to Nik. Her thigh still burned, and she wondered if he felt it too; something was definitely not right. She hadn't asked, but she wanted to keep an eye on him no matter what. Coldsaber's icy blade flashed in the daylight as her magic flew from her free hand. Beside her, Nik swung his hammer again, crushing his opponents with it and magic.

They continued pushing into the city, breaking through the defensive walls Orek's men had built and circumventing them if necessary. *This is working better than I'd hoped,* Nik thought to her as he swung his hammer at yet another opponent. *It's not even mid-afternoon and most of the city is ours. At this rate the castle will be ours again by nightfall.*

*Let's hope it is,* she replied. *I do not wish to see those pirates staying there longer than they must.* Together, they met the next group of pirates, driving through them and continuing on. Behind them lay a path of injured or dead pirates. Ahead of them lay the remainder of the city and the causeway to the castle. 

As they pushed forward, Elsa looked out to the fjord. She paused and reined in Arnbjorg, noticing the pirate vessels had turned out to sea. Over the battle, she heard cannon fire, though not directed at land. Looking further out, she saw why; some of the ships entering the harbor flew the banners of Arendelle and the Northern Alliance, while others flew banners of Weselton.

Reinforcements had arrived. She hoped her son and niece were aboard as well.

-

Alek stood on the command deck of his flagship, _Draco's Doom_ , watching the battle. Henry and Adrian stood beside him, with Klara a few steps away. They had rendezvoused with the _Queen Elsa_ and the Weselton fleet en route, arriving at Arendelle together, and sooner than they planned. Now, they'd engaged Orek's ships; with luck, it would be a short battle.

"I'm looking forward to signing those trade agreements with you, Henry," Alek smiled. "And possibly a treaty of alliance too." He looked to the Duke, and found him smiling as well.

"I knew my brother wouldn't let me down," Henry replied. "It's been an honor to fight alongside you, Your Majesty," he said with a respectful bow.

Alek nodded and turned back to the battle. He hoped to count this Duke as a friend and ally for years to come. "The day isn't won yet," he told them all, then turned to Klara and gestured toward the remains of the enemy fleet. "Cousin, would you care to show the rest of Orek's fleet what happens to those who assault our lands?"

She smiled broadly, her eyes sparkling. "It would be my pleasure," she responded, moving to the railing of the ship and calling her fire magic, letting it dance in her palms. "I'll show them there's more than ice and wind in Arendelle. There's also a heart of fire." With that, she released a pair of fireballs at the enemy ships.

Alek smiled and drew Frostbite, then called on his own magic. "Let's not forget the strength of stone," he added. The very ground the city was built on responded to his call, and the cries of Orek's men could be heard far out into the fjord as the ground tore open and swallowed groups of them whole.

-

Orek stood on the castle wall and watched as someone on the lead Northern ship released a pair of fireballs at his own, igniting two of them instantly. Frowning, he pulled his spyglass and focused on that ship. "I'd hoped those two would stay in the North, to protect Karland," he said aloud as he scanned the ship. When he reached the command deck, he nearly dropped the spyglass; refocusing, he confirmed what he'd seen. King Aleksander stood on the deck beside his cousin, who held another pair of fireballs in her hands. She let them go, and another one of his ships burned.

What was more, the King had his sword drawn, one that Orek recognized instantly: it was the very sword that slew his father. The young man held his arm outstretched, pointed at the shore. Orek turned to where he pointed, and watched as the ground opened, and dozens of his men were swallowed. Then the ground closed again, sealing them away forever. He lowered his spyglass and looked with his own eyes. It was no illusion; his ships were burning in the fjord, and his men had been swallowed by the ground they stood on.

"Return to the castle!" he shouted over the sounds of battle. "Buccaneers of Desolation, return to the castle! Bar the gates and take up defensive positions!" Orek continued shouting orders to his men, and watched as they all retreated. When the last man entered, the gates slammed shut. "Bar those gates firm!" he bellowed from his perch. He lowered his voice then, and muttered quietly. "I may meet my end, but I'll extract a heavy price for it."

Then he looked back out and watched as Nikolaus and his Ice Queen sat on their white, monstrous mounts, staring at him and waiting for their son to join them. And then it was there, something he'd missed, one final card to play that offered victory; he could still get his revenge, and it'd be all the sweeter now.

-

Alek, his two cousins, and Henry disembarked quickly and ran to his parents, who dismounted their snow beasts as his group approached. He and Klara embraced his parents hard for a joyful, albeit brief, reunion. "I told you I'd meet you here," he said through his tears.

Adrian smiled at his aunt and uncle. "We met Weselton along the way and came here together," he informed them. "They've fought well, and have been instructed to purge the city of all remaining pirates."

Nik nodded to his nephew and Henry, then spoke to the group as Johan and Aksel approached. "We've made it this far, and we have the city. That leaves us with only one thing left to do." He turned to the castle then, and Elsa entwined her fingers with his as she stood beside him, Coldsaber held in her other hand. He held Mjolnir aloft, and pointed it at the castle as the rest of the family fell in around them. "We must face Orek. Together, we will end the suffering he has brought on this kingdom, and tried to bring to us."

With that, they all marched toward the gates, Henry and dozens of men from both their own kingdom and from Weselton falling in behind, the royal family leading. Nik summoned his magic, and with a hurricane force wind blew the gates open wide, shattering the pirates' attempt to seal them out and leading the charge into the castle courtyard. He brandished his hammer, while Elsa flashed her ice blade beside him. Behind them, swords, axes, and other weapons flashed brilliantly as the group spread out to engage the pirates.

'It's been too long since we stood in this courtyard,' Nik mused. The last time, the raiders were breaking in; this time, it was their turn. And with his family beside him, Nik knew they wouldn't fail in stopping Orek.

More pirates charged them, and he found himself being pushed away from Elsa. He pushed back harder, noticing the eyes of his opponents all shone bright red; some of them, he saw, were members of the castle garrison, or had been before it fell to Orek. Behind them, more of those shadowy, faceless men approached, their ugly swords drawn. Nik drew back and released a large fan of ice shards at them, dropping the men instantly and causing the shadowy men to slow. He felt Elsa release both storm and ice magic, and knew she could use his help.

Mjolnir pulsed in his hand again, and he suddenly had an idea. He raised it high above his head, calling in his lightning. Mjolnir accepted all the magic he could put into it and shone brightly; he spun as he swung it down and released the magic ahead of himself. It lashed out in a powerful arc, disintegrating the shadowy fighters and burning the life from his red-eyed opponents.

Then he turned and ran toward Elsa, wanting to make sure she was safe. He heard her calling to him through their thoughts, but his mind suddenly felt clouded; he stumbled for a moment, then continued, headed for the rock wall that had just sprung up. He noticed the crossbow bolts flying around him, and tried to call a whirlwind to protect himself. He never had a chance to wonder why it never formed.

-

Elsa had seen Nik get pushed away from her side, and wanted to follow. Unfortunately, the men attacking her seemed to have other plans. Johan and Aksel stood beside her, protecting her flanks, but their opponents still pressed them hard. With a thought, she lashed out with her power in an arc, releasing both ice and lightning, dropping several opponents at once.

As she glanced around, she saw more men flooding towards them, all of their eyes burning red. She prepared for the assault, then felt a hand on her arm. She was suddenly being dragged backwards, and a wall of rock shot up between her and the attackers; she heard the pinging of crossbow bolts bouncing off the far side of the wall almost immediately. Aksel smiled and nodded at her; he'd drug her to safety. Looking out around the wall, she saw Alek and Klara crouching behind their own wall, bolts bouncing off it as well.

She didn't see Nik. *Where are you, Nik?* she sent to him. She could feel his thoughts, though he didn't reply. *Over here, behind the wall! Take cover!* He still didn't respond, but she knew he was coming. Something didn't feel right with his mind; he always replied to her, even if it was just one word.

-

Klara ducked again after sending more of her fireballs at their opponents. "Those guys aren't the best shots, but they sure try hard," she commented with a smirk. Her eyes told a different story; the hardness from Karland had resurfaced, giving her voice a razor sharp edge.

Alek tried to hide his smile. There was a time when things were different; before Karland, when she was scared she hid behind her brashness. If someone didn't know her, they'd have thought she enjoyed battle and adventure, when in truth she'd hated not knowing what would happen next. Now, her brashness hid a grim determination to protect the ones she loved at any cost.

He poked his own head up, then used his earth magic to open the flagstones again and swallow several more pirates. He hated this, but to save his family, it was necessary. He heard the air sing, and ducked again just as more crossbow bolts flew overhead.

"We didn't bring any ranged weapons," Adrian complained. "I didn't expect to be pinned down with no way to fight back."

Henry chuckled. "It's sad," he began, "I actually always carried a crossbow during our revolt in Weselton. I didn't think I'd need one again for a long time."

Klara's eyes popped wide, and she snapped her fingers loudly. "That's it. Ranged weapons." She looked at Alek, a light in her eyes. "Throw them."

"What?" Alek asked, confused. He shook his head briefly, trying to understand what she meant. "What are you talking about, Klara? Throw who?"

She pointed at their cousin and Henry. "Them. Like you did to me years ago. Throw them onto the walls, and they can take out these guys. They're the best fighters I've ever seen." She frowned for a moment, then stared into Alek's eyes. "They keep dodging my fireballs. They won't be able to dodge a sword pointed at their necks."

Adrian and Henry looked at one another, then nodded to Alek. "I'm not fond of becoming a projectile, but let's do it," Henry encouraged. "It might be our only shot. Pun not intended," he added with a half smile. Beside him, Adrian let out a single bark of laughter.

Alek frowned, then nodded. "I can't guarantee a safe landing, but good luck." With that, he waited for the men to prepare themselves, then drew on his magic. He pushed hard and fast on the flagstones beneath them, using the stones as catapults to launch the two men through the air.

He and Klara, along with most of the rest of the courtyard, watched the two men fly.

-

Adrian landed hard and rolled, springing to his feet with his sword in his hand. As he rose, he cut down first one man, then another with his return swing. Risking a glance at the other wall, he saw Henry cutting his way through the men he faced. Smiling, Adrian turned back to the shocked men in front of him, and let out his battle cry. "For Arendelle! For King Aleksander!"

His sword sang and flashed brilliantly as he danced through his opponents, pushing forward until the last man. A few tried to aim their crossbows at him, but at this range they couldn't keep up with his movements; he cut them down or sent them falling to the flagstones below without mercy. When no one stood to face him, he looked to the other wall where Henry stood, his sword red with the blood of his enemies. They each raised their sword in salute, then hurried along the walls, looking for a safe way down when he heard his father's anguished scream.

-

Elsa had just blasted a few more of those faceless warriors when she saw Nik charge around the end of the rock wall Alek had built. She had also seen her son launch the Duke and Adrian through the air to engage the men raining bolts down on them. That had worked quite well, though she hoped they landed safely. Even if they were hurt, they fought hard on the top of the walls.

"Nik, thank goodness!" she called without looking at him. "I was afraid you were hurt." She thought she heard him mumble something, but over the sounds of battle she wasn't sure. A shadow fell over her, and she started to turn.

"Elsa! Move!" Aksel crashed into her and shoved her aside as Nik brought his hammer down fast and hard. It connected with Aksel's leg, breaking bone with a sickening crunch, and he cried out in agony.

Nik hefted the hammer again and turned toward her, his face blank. When she looked into his eyes, fear flashed through her; his eyes burned red, and showed no sign of recognition. His lips moved again, and she knew what he'd mumbled a moment before:

"Kill them all."


	15. Miracle

Orek smiled when he felt his power overcome Nikolaus' mind. He hadn't felt it right away, but when they assembled outside the castle gates, he'd noticed the mark his shadow warrior had left in his nemesis. It was small, and Nikolaus had probably only been grazed, but it was more than enough. A plan had formed almost immediately, and it was better than anything he could have hoped for.

He drew his own sword, and called several of his men to him as guards. He needed to get closer to make sure he didn't lose the connection, but he couldn't afford to be caught off guard or alone, either. Nikolaus' was a strong mind, and only through the distraction of battle and focusing his power had he managed to push his way in. If the man managed to push back, he'd need help getting to safety. With his men surrounding him, Orek marched out onto the flagstones of the courtyard.

His plan was simple; he would force Nikolaus to destroy his own family. When it was done, when every one of them lay before him dead or dying, he would release the link, and destroy Nikolaus' sanity. Then, he'd kill the man who slew his father.

-

Elsa stared into Nik's now red eyes, eyes that burned into her. "No," she said quietly. "No, Nik, this isn't you! Fight it!" Her words were almost a scream by the last one. "You have to fight it!" Tears filled her eyes and fear filled her heart as she realized that her husband had fallen into their enemy's control. Now she understood why he'd never answered her silent calls: he couldn't.

A pained look crossed his face momentarily, then vanished as he drew back to swing again. Elsa raised her hands, about to call in her ice magic, when a flash of steel and another shadow passed over her. She looked around, and saw Johan rolling back to his feet between where she and Aksel hid, and where Nik lay sprawled on the ground. His sword was at the ready, and he called out to his brother. "Nik! My brother! Stop this madness! Fight it! Fight whatever hold he has on you! You can't let Orek win like this!"

Elsa tore her attention away from them and looked down at Aksel, whose face had turned white with pain. His leg was shattered, and blood was pooling around him while his body began to convulse from shock. "Hold on, Aksel," she said quickly. "I can make this better." She called in her ice magic, and slowly built a cast of ice tightly around his leg. It stopped the bleeding; she didn't know if it would save his leg. He needed a doctor, and soon, before her ice caused more damage. For now, though, Aksel quieted and stilled, as the ice was reducing the pain he felt and kept him from bleeding out.

She turned back to see Nik and Johan locked in a duel. Johan was a skilled fighter, and parried every swing Nik made. She could see the frustration creep onto Nik's face and mix with what looked like pain, but his magic wasn't rising. That was good for Johan, but it also meant that whatever Orek was doing to control Nik was also blocking his powers; she wasn't sure he'd be able to fight it off himself.

She raised Coldsaber and was about to charge her husband when Alek and Klara skidded to a stop beside her. "Mother," Alek panted, holding Frostbite out to her hilt first, "you have to stop him. You may be the only one who can."

-

The bright steel of his sword caught Nik's hammer by the handle. He slid to the side and shoved away, letting the hammer fall away and twirling his sword, bringing it up defensively. "Nik, you need to wake up from this! I won't harm you, brother, but I WILL stand between you and everyone else you love!" Johan shouted, hoping against hope that his words would penetrate whatever spell Orek had cast. "You'll have to go through me!"

Nik's face twisted, emotions crossing his face rapidly. Johan thought, for a brief instant, that he saw recognition in his brother's red eyes, but then it was gone, and the hammer was swinging toward him again. Nik was putting all his strength into his blows, and Johan tried to make sure he caught each one just enough to turn it aside.

Johan dodged another of his brother's blows, rolling to the side and listening as the hammer crashed into the flagstone and sent chips flying. Rising into a crouch, he watched Nik raise Mjolnir again, ready to swing. Thinking quickly, he lunged at his brother, catching him in the stomach with his elbow as he passed, then rolled away as the other man doubled over. A quick kick sent Nik sprawling on the ground again, though he quickly regained his feet, hefting the hammer easily.

This was hard. Johan didn't normally fight just to stay alive. Normally, he fought to kill his opponent, or at least permanently disable them. He didn't want to do that to his brother. He COULDN'T do that to his brother. He also had another problem; he was beginning to tire, and he could feel himself slowing. If this kept on much longer, Nik would kill him, Aksel, and Elsa, along with the rest of the family. They all loved Nik; none of them would kill him.

Nik swung again, and Johan caught it on his sword, this time clamping his hand on his brother's, locking eyes with him and pulling him close. "You HAVE to fight this, Nik. You'll destroy us all if you don't!" he told his brother again, trying to break through Orek's hold on him. "You can't let him win!"

Nik answered with a kick to his stomach, doubling him over and forcing him to stagger away.

-

Orek smiled as he watched the brothers fight; everything about this new plan was progressing well. The youngest one would pose no threat with a shattered leg, which meant this one was the only real obstacle. Once he fell, he would use Nikolaus to pick off the others one at a time, beginning with the youngest brother.

Now if only he could get Nikolaus' magic to rise. That would speed this along, and make the Ice Queen no challenge either. Without the magic, there was still a possibility of the Ice Queen winning if Nikolaus didn't overpower her first. With it, she would fall quickly, and the deaths of the others would follow just as fast.

Orek made his decision immediately: he needed to find that magic, and there was only one way to do it. He closed his eyes and followed the connection to Nikolaus' mind. When he entered, he found a murky red fog, knee deep, and felt the emotions swirling about. He pressed deeper into Nikolaus' mind, shoving aside barriers and looking for whatever magic he carried. 'The secret to his magic has to be somewhere in this clouded mind,' Orek thought to himself.

"NO!" came a shout from behind him. Orek turned, and found Nikolaus staring at him. He smiled in return and braced for a confrontation. "I will NOT let you use me to destroy my family! Get out!"

Nikolaus raised his hands, and a strained look crossed his face. He looked down at his hands in what could only be confusion, then locked eyes with Orek again. The pirate's smile widened before he spoke. "What's this? Your magic has forsaken you? Too bad," he said as he raised his own hand. "Mine hasn't." Then he unleashed another wave of his power.

The former King fell to his knees with a scream, his hands clutching his scalp. "Stop! Get out of my mind!" He struggled to rise, and almost made it to his feet before Orek hit him once again. "No! I...won't...let...you.." Under the strain, Nikolaus collapsed to his knees once more, unable to rise.

"Now stay there, Nikolaus," he commanded. "You're going to watch them all die. Then I'll kill you." Then he turned and waded through the murkiness, searching past barrier after barrier. With each one, he grew more and more frustrated; Nikolaus' magic continued to elude him, and the man was still fighting his hold. Combined with fighting the brother, it was starting to tax his abilities. After a time, he pushed on one barrier, and suddenly felt it pushing back. And it was COLD.

-

Alek held Frostbite in front of her, hilt first. "Take it, mother," he urged. "Take it and save father. I think, through your shared thoughts and powers, you can save him. And all of us." He pleaded with her, both with his words and his eyes. "I think you hold the key to our salvation. You may be able to cross whatever connection you two have and save him, or at least stop him. Please, mama, you have to try. Try to bring him out of this nightmare!"

Elsa hesitated, then reached out and took the sword, feeling her magic surge once again. She hadn't held this sword in years, and had forgotten how much it amplified her power. "I don't know how well this will work," she began, "but I'll try. Keep me covered well." Alek nodded, and he and Klara took up defensive positions around her.

She crouched by the wall and turned inward, looking for the magical connection between herself and Nik. She moved through her mind, searching for whatever lead to his. When she found the bridge between them, she used her amplified magic to pass along it, forcing her way into Nik's already crowded mind.

Elsa waded into a murky red mess. Thoughts and memories swirled around her, and she could hear Nik's voice, crying out for help. "Stop! Get out of my mind, Orek!" she heard him shout, though it sounded far away. She kept moving forward, listening to her husband's anguish as she moved into his mind. As she searched, she came to a realization; she had entered into the deepest part of his mind, and had to move outward to find whatever hold Orek had on him.

She looked around at the few barriers in this part of his mind, unsure which one to search. One she ruled out immediately; it appeared as a rusty iron gate with an old lock, and beyond it was nothing but darkness. Moving away from that one, she picked one barrier and pushed, and felt pressure in return. She pushed a little harder, and then realized what was happening; Orek was pushing against her, trying to control Nik completely. If he got through this barrier, he'd be able to use Nik's magic, and they'd all be doomed. She had to stop him. Now.

"Back away!" she shouted through the barrier. "You won't control my husband! Leave his mind, or I'll destroy you!" She wasn't really sure she could, but he wouldn't know that; she would certainly try. From the other side of the barrier, she heard Nik call her name in disbelief.

"I don't think so, Ice Queen," a voice replied from the other side. "Nikolaus is mine now, and I'll use him to destroy you all! You cannot stop me!" Orek's voice held an edge of superiority; she could tell the man believed he would win.

"We'll see about that!" she responded, then called forth ice magic; both her own and Nik's responded. She charged the barrier with it quickly, then lashed out hard and fast, feeling it push through the barrier and blast out at Orek; Elsa heard him scream in agony. She hesitated, then stepped forward, somehow passing right through the barrier, keeping it closed. When she emerged, she found Orek standing knee deep in the murky shadows that were clouding her husband's mind, looking at his blackened, frostbitten hands.

She attacked fast, blasting him with her own ice and lightning; Nik's was still blocked by the barrier she'd passed through. He screamed, and she lashed out again. This time, he was expelled from Nik's mind, and the fog slowly began to dissipate. She suddenly felt something akin to a weight pressing down on her, and quickly realized what it was: Nik had started fighting back against Orek's hold again with all his strength. Now that the pirate was gone, she was taking the brunt of it. She needed to act fast, before he accidentally hurt her.

Elsa opened the one remaining barrier, then felt through Nik's body, calling on his magic as well. When she felt the mark Orek's shadow warrior had placed in his thigh, she pushed hard with both ice and lightning; the mark in his leg disintegrated, and she quickly withdrew along their link. As she left, she whispered into his mind, "I love you, Nik. Please come back to me."

-

When she entered her own mind again, Elsa woke with a start. "Did I do it?" she asked quietly, too weak to stand for a moment. Entering Nik's mind had drained her, but her leg didn't burn anymore; she hoped she had saved them all.

No one answered or looked at her. They were all focused on where Nik and Johan faced off, watching as Nik swept his brother off his feet with Mjolnir, then raised it high, ready to crush his skull.


	16. Shattered Bones, Shattered Dreams

He swept low with his war hammer, catching his opponent in the legs and knocking him down. He looked down at the other man, raising his weapon yet again. With this blow, he would kill his brother.

'Wait. Brother? Johan!' Nik stopped moving abruptly, as he suddenly realized he was in control of his actions again. His mind slowly cleared, and the red filtering his vision started to subside. Orek was gone from his mind, and he understood now exactly what Anna had meant. Somewhere in his thoughts, he could hear Elsa telling him she loved him, and begging him to come back. Looking down into Johan's eyes, he saw his brother smile, though his sword was still raised. He returned it sadly, knowing what had happened, what he had almost done. He feared what he might have already done to Aksel; if his youngest brother died, he'd never forgive himself.

From across the courtyard, he heard Orek shouting his name, his voice laced with pain. "Nikolaus, finish him and destroy the others! I command you!" the High Captain bellowed, trying to stand, his men stepping back a few paces. They had seen their Captain fall, and none of them were particularly certain what to do. Orek glared at several of them when he finally regained his feet, then turned to where Nik towered over his brother.

Nik glanced from the corner of his eye, and felt with his magic. Then he called in a gust of wind, turned, and flung Mjolnir at Orek hard and fast. The hammer whistled through the air, until it caught the pirate captain in the stomach. It carried him across the courtyard, where he crashed to the ground, dazed and coughing.

As Nik began walking slowly across the courtyard, he heard his family cheer, then engage what few men Orek had left. A pair of shadow warriors approached him; a blast of ice and lightning finished them quickly, and he kept marching toward Orek. A few more of the guards looked at him, but a strong gust of wind knocked them away. He wanted no other distractions while he dealt with the fallen pirate.

-

Elsa had managed to rise, and now fought beside her son and niece, the three of them battling some of the few men Orek had left. Noticing that the men in front of her had once been Arendelle soldiers, she was hit with inspiration; she'd been able to break Orek's hold on Nik, why not these men as well? Calling on her magic, she released it in a wave, letting it wash over their opponents and search for their marks; as it did, their wounds reopened, and the marks were destroyed, freeing them from Orek's influence.

The men's eyes cleared, and they all lowered their weapons. Realizing that they stood in front of their King and his family, they all fell to one knee, dropping their weapons in front of them and reswearing themselves to Alek and Arendelle while begging forgiveness.

Leaving the now freed men to Alek and Klara, Elsa turned and saw Nik approaching Orek. The High Captain was struggling to rise, so she took off at a run, intent on stopping the pirate from hurting her husband again. She had made a promise to be by his side, and she needed to get there.

-

Nik scooped up Mjolnir from where it had landed, feeling it pulse once again. 'I'm going to have to experiment with this,' he thought as he turned toward the man who had tried to make him kill his own family.

He watched as Orek struggled to rise. When the man laid a hand on the sword next to him, Nik swung his hammer, adding lightning to the strike; it crushed Orek's hand, and the lightning magic flared brightly when it hit the ring, shattering it. The hilt of the sword bent, then broke.

Orek screamed in agony, falling onto his back once more, clutching his now shattered hand. Nik stood over him, holding the war hammer menacingly. When Orek opened his eyes and looked up, he smiled. "Not today, Orek. You will not succeed today."

-

Elsa saw as she ran that the remaining pirates threw down their weapons almost as soon as Nik crushed Orek's hand. Whatever control Orek had over them had vanished. She also saw the few remaining shadow warriors simply vaporize; his control over those must have fled as well.

She slid to a stop a step away from Nik, and listened as the two men spoke.

"No more! Nikolaus, I yield! Grant me mercy, I beg you!" Orek cried as his hand disappeared inside his jacket. "I...I am defeated."

"You, who owe the mercy, now plead for it?" Nik asked harshly, lowering his hammer slightly as he shook his head. "I thought you were made of sterner stuff. After all this time, you—"

"NO!" Elsa screamed as she dove in quickly. She'd seen Orek pull the pistol and crashed into Nik, her momentum knocking him aside. The gun went off, and she stood still, her hands slowly moving to and clutching her chest as Coldsaber fell to the ground, the ice blade shattering. She pulled them away, covered in blood, as she felt more flowing from where the round had pierced her and exited through her back.

-

Nik stumbled aside when she crashed into him, dropping his hammer as he tried to keep his balance. His ears rang slightly when he heard the pistol go off, and he grunted when he felt the pain of the round passing through. Time seemed to slow, and he glanced down; there was no hole in nor blood on his clothes, so he spun toward Elsa. His eyes widened when he saw her bloodied hands, and almost panicked when she first met his eyes, then started to fall.

"Elsa! NO!" he cried, charging forward and catching her before she hit the ground. He looked down into her eyes, watching as they unfocused and fluttered closed. He held her tightly and fell to his knees, his tears beginning to fall. "No, please!" The ground around him began to freeze, and the winds began to swirl around the courtyard.

-

He jerked out his single shot pistol and fired at Nikolaus. Outside his vision, he heard Ice Queen shout, then watched her push his target aside, taking the round in her chest. Orek smiled to himself as he watched the pain and fear cross her face. 'Well, that takes care of one of them,' he mused. When Nikolaus caught her and knelt, he knew what he had to do next.

Orek rose, casting aside his pistol, a dagger now in his good hand. He could hear Nikolaus' family approaching quickly, shouting and threatening him; he had to act now, before they got too close. Managing not to slip or fall on the ice under his feet, he raised the dagger high, then brought it down toward Nikolaus' back, intending to drive it through his heart. Maybe he wouldn't cause Nikolaus a lifetime of pain, but he WOULD watch him die.

-

Alek and Klara screamed as they saw Elsa start to fall, red staining her clothes. They stood in shock for a moment, disbelief settling in as Nik caught her and lowered her toward the ground. Around them, others likewise turned toward the trio, most not immediately comprehending what had happened.

Orek's sudden movement broke the two cousins out of their trance and spurred them into action. "Papa! Look out!" Alek shouted, charging toward the three of them. He knew his mother had been hit; how badly, he had no clue. He couldn't lose both of them again.

Klara ran beside him, though she held back her fire magic. Orek was too close to Nik, and he knew she wouldn't risk hitting her Aunt and Uncle. Then they were sliding as their feet found the ice, and their forward momentum slowed.

As Orek's arm fell, Alek knew they'd be too late. All they could do was watch in horror as the pirate's blade arced toward his father's back.

-

Nik felt the heat, and saw the bright flash. He was so focused on Elsa, though, that at he paid it little mind. Even Orek's shriek of agony didn't make him turn; he stayed on his knees, holding her in his arms. 'I don't care about that bastard,' he thought to himself absently. He looked at her drawn face, watching as her eyes finally began to flutter back open. The bullet wound was closing; there was now barely a mark on her, and his heartbeat slowed to something closer to normal. Around them, the ice quickly evaporated.

He heard Orek scream again, and Alek suddenly crouched next to him. "Is she okay?" his son asked. When he nodded, Elsa smiled weakly, and Alek spoke again. "How did you do that, Papa? And I'm not talking about Mama, I already know how that works...well, sort of."

Nik looked up at his son. "How did I do what? I didn't do anything," he replied. When he saw the disbelief in his son's eyes, he asked, "What happened?"

"Orek was about to stab you in the back," Alek told him. "Right before he hit you, lightning surrounded you and Mama, and lashed out at him. He's alive, but badly burned."

As he spoke, Elsa slowly sat up. "I only remember a bright flash, then screams. I honestly thought it was you, Nik," she said as she looked at the eyes that mirrored her own. Running her hand over her chest, she muttered, "Ouch. That smarts."

Nik chuckled. "I should hope so. You got SHOT, Elsa. You took a bullet for me," he reminded her. Smiling, he continued, "And here you thought I'D be the reckless one." She scowled at him and smacked his arm, then he rose and helped her to her feet, handing Coldsaber back to her as he picked up Mjolnir. "And to answer your question, son," he turned to Alek, "Granpabbie once told me that, if I were near your mother while she was incapacitated, my magic would protect us both without thought. I'd forgotten about that. It's good to know that effect still exists."

They turned to find Klara standing over Orek, one foot pressing down on his chest. His clothes were badly scorched, and his arm and face had burn lines and welts along them. He glared up at Nik as they approached, and managed to speak as Klara moved aside. "Kill me. Finish me, like you did my father," he groaned. "One of us should die today, and it would appear that it won't be you." Seeing Elsa standing beside Nik, he stared at her, an astonished look on his face. "And how are you STILL alive? I saw you fall to your death, and now I've shot you through the heart!"

Elsa sheathed Coldsaber and knelt, feeling the power from Orek's remaining ring. She jerked it off the pirate's hand, and watched as he grimaced in pain. His features began to change before their eyes; he slowly began to change into an old man, the youth ring's influence now gone from his body. When he looked at her again, she spoke. "I have love in my life, Orek. That's how I'm still alive. Love has saved me and mine repeatedly throughout my life. It's something one such as yourself would never understand." With that, she rose and called in ice and lightning magic; they all watched as the ring shattered in her palm.

"No, Orek. I will not take your life. It isn't my place to pass that judgement anymore," Nik told the fallen pirate. He turned to his son and bowed slightly. "Your Majesty, I present to you the man who attempted to destroy our family and your kingdom. His life is yours."

Alek looked down at the now very old Orek and passed his judgement. "Take him to a doctor, and see to his wounds. Then take him to the royalty dungeons. Lock him away. He will live as a reminder to any others who would make an attempt on our lives," he commanded.

Orek tried to stand when Alek turned away; Klara immediately darted forward, her boot connecting with the pirate's chest and knocking him back down. "Don't even try it, you old fool," she snarled at him, a fireball forming in her palm. "My King just spared your life. Don't make him change his mind."

The old pirate grunted as new pain wracked his body. "He should kill me. I sold part of my soul for the promise that I'd defeat the man who murdered my father," he coughed, blood dripping from his lip. "Apparently it wasn't enough."

Alek stepped forward and knelt over Orek, shaking his head slowly. "Every magic, every power, comes with a price, Orek. Yours was a fool's price. You'll live your days in captivity, to pay the rest of your price," he told the other man, then stood and backed away. As several guards approached and picked the old pirate up, he turned to his family and added, "We stand as a family, we fight as a family, and we triumph as a family."

Elsa paled, suddenly remembering Nik's wounded brother. "Aksel!" she almost shouted. "He needs a doctor, now!" With that, she ran back to where Johan knelt by his younger brother, who was moaning in pain. Nik followed quickly, his face suddenly ashen as he remembered what Orek had forced him to do, placing his war hammer in its holder as he ran.

They both skidded to a stop on their knees next to the fallen man. "Aksel, I'm so sorry, my brother," Nik spoke softly as he reached out hesitantly, not sure what he could do. Tears welled in his eyes once more as he spoke. "I caused this. I should've been able to stop what was happening—"

Aksel grabbed his brother's arm and shook his head, interrupting Nik. "No, you aren't to blame, Nik. Orek is. He nearly succeeded today," he said as he locked eyes with his eldest brother. "Even if I lose this leg, it will be a small price to pay to see the threat defeated." He threw back his head and groaned in pain again.

Henry approached quickly, dragging a long, wide plank behind him. "Quick, get him on here. There's a doctor on our flagship. He's the best there is; he'll be able to tend to his leg," he told them. Nik and Johan lifted Aksel gently as Adrian and Henry slid the board under him, then the four of them carried him together. The rest of the family fell in around them, clearing a path and keeping people back.

Elsa walked beside him, resting a hand on his forehead. She looked down at him and smiled. "Thank you, Aksel, for saving my life again. It would seem you and my sister are both destined to do so."

Aksel smiled through his pain, his face whitening. "Anything for my brother, his wife, and my family. It has been my honor to serve you, Queen Elsa." With that, his head fell back, and he lost consciousness.

"Aksel? Aksel!" Elsa shook him gently. When he didn't respond, she shouted at the others. "We have to hurry, he's bleeding out!" They all began to run as fast as they could.


	17. Luck Stays Strong

They all gathered in the captain's office on board the Weselton flagship, waiting to hear the doctor's verdict on Aksel. Nik and Johan paced, nearly crashing into each other several times. Adrian sat between Elsa and Klara, the two women offering their emotional support. Henry stood behind him, supporting his friend. Alek sat across from them, his head hung low.

They'd been here for almost two hours, and night had fallen. When they had burst onto the deck, the sailors on board had tried to stop them until they recognized Henry. He had demanded the doctor see Aksel immediately, and the men moved quickly to see Aksel to the sick bay. Adrian had wanted to stay with his father, but the doctor had insisted he leave the room. Henry had managed to get them all to go above deck and retire to the captain's office, and the captain gave it up readily.

"I can't stand this waiting," Nik complained. "I'm not as patient as I used to be, and he's my brother! Can't they at least send us an update?"

Johan stopped in front of his brother and put his hands on his shoulders. "Nik, we're all anxious right now. But all we can do is wait and pray," he reasoned. Nik frowned but nodded; Johan had always been a constant voice of calm and reason, and hid his own worry well.

Adrian lowered his head again, and Elsa rested her hand on his back. "He's all I have left," he muttered. "Mother passed a few years ago. And he's...he...he can't..." He broke down then, crying, and Klara wrapped an arm around him.

Nik and Johan walked over and knelt in front of him. "No, Adrian," Nik told him, "he's not all you have left. He and Johan finally were able to convince me of that recently. You still have the rest of us, no matter what."

Johan nodded in agreement. "We've always been here for each other. That will never change, Adrian."

Just then, the door opened and the doctor came in slowly, closing it behind him. His sleeves were stained with blood, and he looked somber. Adrian jumped up and stepped forward, everyone else rising and standing around him. "How is he, doctor?" he asked in a rush. "How's my father?"

The doctor frowned as he looked around the room, then glanced to Henry with a questioning expression. "They're all his family. And I will not leave my friend," the Duke told him, indicating Adrian. "Please, give us the news, Doctor Maru."

The doctor nodded briskly and met Adrian's anguished eyes. "Your father's wounds were bad, son," he began slowly, "but that ice cast, however you all made it, saved his life. He's resting now. I've done everything I can. We were able to set his bones fairly well, and stop the bleeding. When he's fully healed, he'll probably have a limp." He stepped forward and placed a hand on Adrian's shoulder, noting the relief on the boy's face. "Your father is very lucky."

Adrian smiled, tears staining his cheeks. "You have no idea, doctor," he told the man. "Even before I was born, he cheated death many times. I pray his luck never runs out."

Doctor Maru smiled and nodded to the round of thank yous, then left the room. When he was gone, Nik turned to his nephew and pulled him into a firm embrace. "I'm so sorry for this, Adrian. It was my fault. I should've felt the mark, and been able to fight off Orek's control," he told the younger man, relief that his brother was alive mixing with the guilt he felt for the injuries he'd inflicted on him.

Adrian shook his head. "You might be magical, Uncle," he began, "but you're no expert on all types of magic. You couldn't know." With that, he hugged Nik again, then turned to Elsa. "And thank you, Aunt Elsa. Were it not for your quick thinking, we would've lost him." She spread her arms, and he hugged her too.

"It was the least I could do for a man who has spent most of his life facing death for me and those I love," she told her nephew. "He had just saved me again; I wasn't about to let him die that way. After all he's done for everyone, he deserves better." With a final squeeze, she released him and moved to Nik.

Nik pulled her into his arms and cried tears of both relief and guilt. Johan rested a hand on his brother's shoulder and spoke softly. "Adrian's right, Nik. You can't blame yourself for this. I fought you, and you weren't yourself. You swung like a drunk, not the trained fighter I know you to be," he chuckled at the last statement. It earned a weak smile from both his brother and sister in law.

Across the room, Henry, Alek, and Klara stood with Adrian. He leaned against the wall, feeling weak with relief. "I don't know what I would've done," Adrian told the group he was with. "I know you all would have stood by me no matter what, but it would've been so much harder without him."

Henry nodded. "I know that feeling, my friend," he spoke quietly. "My own father passed a few years ago, and it was what pushed me to join the revolt. But for a time, I was overcome with grief, and it wasn't until my brother reminded me what family was that I came to my senses." He glanced around the room, then back to Adrian, smiling. "Your family is an excellent one, and a strong one, my friend. Never forget that."

-

The following morning, the family waited in the Great Hall as Aksel was brought in in a wheelchair. Henry pushed him in, and the two were chuckling and smiling as they entered. The family surrounded him and greeted him heartily, with Adrian crouching to embrace his father hard. "Owww, son, ease up a bit, I'm still injured here," he half joked through his pain.

Adrian gave him a sheepish grin as he released him. "Sorry, father. I'm just really glad you're still with us. How are you feeling?" he asked his father, worried about what the doctor had said.

"Like someone smashed my leg with a hammer. Oh wait, someone did!" he laughed, then realized he was the only one. Looking to his eldest brother, he apologized. "Nik, I'm sorry. But it wasn't your fault. We all know that." He turned and looked at Elsa, smiling. "And we have you to thank for bringing him back, I understand," he said, indicating Nik. "Henry told me some of what happened, though I think he left many things out. I also want to thank you for saving my life." They smiled at one another, and he sat back in his chair.

Nik knelt in front of his brother. "And I need to thank you, Aksel. You saved her, and in the end all of us. If I'd woken to find her and the rest of you dead, my mind would have shattered. By your actions, you've once again proven how much you love this family. It wouldn't be the same without you," he told the younger man. "Father would be proud of all that you've done. I know we all are."

That statement got a tear from Aksel, and he leaned forward to embrace his brother. When he let go, he looked around at the group. "So, who's going to show me where to get some food? I'm starving." That statement finally got a round of laughter from everyone.

-

"Goodbye, Henry," Adrian said to his friend a few days later, as the Duke prepared to board his ship home. Alek had been true to his word; Weselton was once again a trading partner with Arendelle and the Northern Alliance, and a new alliance treaty was being drafted. "Thank you for all that you've done for Arendelle and the Northern Alliance. Have a safe journey."

Henry shook Adrian's outstretched hand, and smiled. "Come visit Weselton sometime, my friend," he replied. "It'd be my honor to be your host."

Adrian smiled. "Perhaps I will. It would be a refreshing change. I have some leave time that I've earned, and I would enjoy seeing my friend again."

With that, Henry turned and boarded the ship. As it sailed out of the harbor, Adrian raised his arm in salute; Henry returned the gesture, then waved.

-

In the next two months, much of Arendelle and the neighboring territories Orek attacked had been rebuilt. Resources and workers from around the kingdom had been shifted to rebuild homes and businesses in an effort to restore normalcy to the lives of the citizens, and Alek had assisted with his magic where he could.

One pair of citizens, however, were about to try to find out what normal meant.

"And how long do you two think you'll be gone?" Alek asked his parents. They'd just broken the news to him that they would be leaving Arendelle and the Northern Alliance to travel. "Your granddaughter will miss you, you know," he added quietly.

Elsa smiled. "I know she will. But we really don't know how long we'll be gone. It depends on where all we go. We're going to Corona first. From there," she paused, not sure what to say, and looked at Nik for help.

He smiled broadly. "From there, we're going to go wherever the winds push us. We don't really have a plan yet, other than to enjoy ourselves," he finished.

Alek smiled at the two of them, his eyes filling with tears. He reached out and hugged them both. "I'll miss you both. Thank you, for everything you've done for me, our family, and this kingdom."

Nik and Elsa hugged him back, shedding their own tears. "You're welcome, Alek," Elsa whispered for them both. "And thank you, for everything you continue to do."

-

Alek had been gone only minutes when their next visitor arrived. "And just WHERE do you think you two are going?" Anna demanded as she stormed into Nik and Elsa's sitting room. Kristoff followed behind, trying to calm her. "You thought you could plan on going away and not tell me?"

Elsa glanced at Nik, who shrugged. She then turned to her sister. "Anna, Nik and I have never gone on a vacation. We never even got a real honeymoon. I think we've earned a little time to ourselves."

"Well, yeah, but..." Anna stopped, her mouth working, though at a loss for words for a moment. "Where will you go? Have you picked a destination?" she added angrily, though some of her energy had left her.

"Not really," Nik replied, trying to get some of Anna's fury off Elsa. He could see how upset the younger sister had been, and he didn't want her any worse. "We know we're going to Corona for a little while. Beyond that, we might just wander the mainland. Maybe see Spain; I hear the waters there are incredible. Or perhaps Paris. I know Elsa has always wanted to go. We just need to get away," he finished.

Elsa nodded in agreement. "Anna, we've spent our entire lives in front of the eyes of the world. It's time for us to move out of sight for a while. Especially since, unlike the rest of the world, we appear to not be getting any older."

Anna flopped down on the couch, defeated. Kristoff stood behind her, his hands resting on her shoulders. "Well I suppose that's true enough," she answered after a moment. "But I don't have to like it!"

Elsa and Nik shared a laugh. "I wouldn't think you were my sister if you did," Elsa replied with a smile.

-

The next morning, Nik and Elsa stood on the deck of a ship to Corona, waving to their family who had come to see them off. "Well, we're on our way," he whispered to her.

"Yes," Elsa replied. "And I plan to make every moment of this special." With that, she stepped away from him and moved to the stairs leading below. When she reached them, she turned and shot Nik a sultry look, her mismatched eyes narrowed darkly. With a smile, he hurried over to her and chased her to their quarters, where they spent the next several hours creating special moments.

-

Bulda stood, looking over her tribe in the Valley. As she did, her thoughts wandered to what the skies had told her last night, and she smiled. The peace in these lands had returned once again, for the foreseeable future. The Namesake would rule fairly and justly, and his family would remain by his side.

Except for two. The King of Storms and the Queen of Ice were leaving for an indefinite period. 'They've earned it,' she thought to herself. 'After all they've done, after all they've been through, they've earned some time to themselves. I wish them well.' The skies hadn't shown her what they would do, nor if they would return; they themselves did not know. For once in their lives, the skies were bright about the future of Arendelle and the Northern Alliance.

"They did it, Granpabbie," she spoke to the skies. "They have restored the peace in these lands. I wish you could have seen it." With that thought, Bulda turned in to rest. She had earned it as well.


End file.
